Australia to help Trump reach the moon, and beyond
September 22, 2019, 10:38 am

Australia to help Trump reach the moon, and beyond

Australia will invest $101 million in its companies and technology to help US President Donald Trump’s bid for a moon landing by 2024 and subsequent US missions to Mars, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said. (Reuters)

Morrison, visiting NASA headquarters in Washington, said the five-year investment plan would help businesses support US automation systems, build equipment for space craft and play a role in mineral exploration.

“We’re backing Australian businesses to the moon, and even Mars, and back,” Morrison said.

The announcement came after Morrison made a state visit to the White House on Friday, with the red carpet rolled out, signaling Australia’s strong ties with the United States after a period of tense relations with China.

The investment is part of a broader Australian plan to beef up its space sector, with Morrison saying the government wants to triple the size of the sector to Australian $12 billion and create some 20,000 extra jobs by 2030.

Trump, when asked at a joint news conference with Morrison about the US space programme, said the focus was on Mars.

“We’re stopping at the moon,” he said, according to a transcript.

“The moon is actually a launching pad. That’s why we’re stopping at the moon. I said, ‘hey, we’ve already done the moon. That’s not so exciting’. They said, ‘no, sir, it’s a launching pad for Mars’. So we’ll be doing the moon but we’ll really be doing Mars.”

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”