Former Defence Force chief and governor-general Peter Cosgrove has written to Anthony Albanese urging the commonwealth to back the bid to send Australian astronaut Katherine Bennell-Pegg into space.

In an impassioned letter, Sir Peter makes a defence-based argument for supporting the request from the European Space Agency for Dr Bennell-Pegg to join the mission, saying that as an AUKUS partner the benefits to Australia’s national security and economic wellbeing will be enormous.

Lauding Dr Bennell-Pegg as “a high-value national asset”, Sir Peter says Australia needs to recognise the defence and industry-based benefits of grasping such a major opportunity, despite its estimated upfront cost of $100m.

“Supporting Dr Bennell-Pegg’s participation would send a clear and compelling signal that Australia is prepared to invest seriously in becoming a capable, credible and enduring space nation,” Sir Peter writes.

“Space is now a contested and enabling domain, underpinning defence operations, national resilience, economic security, and technological sovereignty. Early, deliberate engagement will shape Australia’s access to critical systems, partnerships and supply chains for decades to come.

“Australia faces growing demand for highly skilled engineers, scientists and technologists, particularly in the lead-up to the AUKUS nuclear-powered submarine program and the expansion of advanced defence and space industries.”

The letter to the Prime Minister was jointly written by Sir Peter and Jim Whalley, founder of defence giant Nova Systems, whose company has pledged $1m in cash and kind to support Dr Bennell-Pegg’s participation under the Australian flag with the ESA on the International Space Station.

Entrepreneur Dick Smith has also pledged $1m through the Dick and Pip Smith Foundation to help lessen the load on the commonwealth to support the mission.

In his letter, Sir Peter writes that the involvement of Dr Bennell-Pegg in the mission would be a great national moment that would drive a new generation of young people toward studying STEM subjects.

“International experience shows that human spaceflight has a unique ability to inspire young people to pursue STEM careers, translating national ambition into long-term workforce growth,” he writes. “Supporting Dr Bennell-Pegg’s participation will deliver tangible national benefits. Critically, this mission would also deliver a powerful workforce dividend at a time of acute national need.

“An Australian astronaut undertaking a mission of this calibre would provide a visible, credible and aspirational pathway for students considering careers in science and engineering. It would send a clear signal that Australia values technical excellence, innovation and ambition, and is prepared to invest in the people who will deliver it.

“This kind of national moment cannot be replicated through policy alone.”

Martin Hamilton-Smith, a former South Australian Liberal leader and Australia’s first dedicated space minister, said other companies should follow the lead of Nova Systems in backing the project financially.

Mr Hamilton-Smith, now director of the Australian Sovereign Capability Alliance, said the cost to Canberra should not be allowed to stymie the mission, with more opportunities for other private companies to get involved.

“Genuinely Australian-owned space company Nova Systems has stumped up the first $1m,” he told The Australian.

“But much larger companies like BAE Systems Australia, Raytheon Australia, Northrop Grumman Australia and L3 Australia, Boeing Australia and other overseas-owned primes are big enough to put in $10m each towards the $100m target, making it easier for the Albanese government to fill the gap.”

“These foreign-owned companies claim to be Australian when bidding for billions of dollars of defence and space contracts from Canberra. This is a chance for them to prove their commitment to Australian sovereign capability.”

Mr Hamilton-Smith also said the university sector should get involved, citing the recently merged Adelaide University as a candidate for contribution, given it is arguing for Adelaide to be the base of the national space agency.

“The newly created Adelaide University should be contributing if it is serious about leveraging off Canberra’s decision to base the nation’s space agency in Adelaide,” he said.

Science Minister Tim Ayres said last week, via a spokesman, that the federal government had backed Dr Bennell-Pegg’s astronaut training with the ESA and was continuing to explore closer co-operation with the agency.