Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) is to open a new research centre to gather and evaluate data about Earth from space.

The planned CSIRO Centre for Earth Observation is expected to allow Australian researchers to maximise the benefits of monitoring Earth from space.

Estimated to be worth more than A$3bn ($2.27bn) a year, Australia’s space sector will also benefit from the new centre.

Once developed, the CSIRO Centre for Earth Observation will use data about Earth, accumulated by satellites orbiting the planet.

The data can be used in various applications such as environmental management, accurate weather forecasts, and monitoring natural disasters.

The centre will also support Earth observation science across CSIRO and conduct research into new satellite and sensor technologies.

“The development of new products and services based on satellite-derived data presents a growth opportunity for Australia’s space sector.”

It will also manage Australia’s access to advanced satellite facilities such as NovaSAR, which is scheduled to be launched later this year.

CSIRO Digital, National Facilities and Collections executive director Dr Dave Williams said: “The development of new products and services based on satellite-derived data presents a growth opportunity for Australia’s space sector.

“Our new CSIRO Centre for Earth Observation will be an open door for governments and businesses to access the wealth of CSIRO’s expertise as well as those of our partners.”

Global Earth observation programmes and policy, remote sensing and vegetation mapping expert Dr Alex Held will serve as the director of the CSIRO Centre for Earth Observation.

Held said: “Our goal is to provide technical support to the Australian space sector, and help streamline research and the operation of projects through advances in remote sensing technologies.”

The CSIRO Centre for Earth Observation has already entered its first agreements, one of which will enable it to provide satellite calibration and validation solutions to CSIRO’s partner Geoscience Australia.