Victoria is banking on its high tech manufacturing sector as it makes its pitch to host the new Australian space agency.
The state's Industry Minister Ben Carroll is in Canberra on Tuesday to meet with federal Innovation Minister Michaelia Cash about where the space agency's headquarters will be located.
Some of the world's biggest names in aerospace - including Lockheed Martin, Thales, Boeing and BAE Systems - carry out research, development and manufacturing in Victoria.
"Victoria has the proven expertise in design and manufacturing, it makes sense for us to be a key player in the new agency," Mr Carroll said.
"There is more to the space agency than just its physical home. Victoria is the perfect location to design, manufacture and analyse data from satellites."
But while Victoria and other states are competing to host the new agency, job ads have put it squarely in Canberra.
Ads for executive and senior public servant roles in the Australian Space Agency posted on the industry department's website state the location as "Canberra".
The agency is due to start on July 1, but it's expected to take about six months to determine a permanent home for it.
Industry figures say the organisation won't be a NASA-style agency that does everything, but rather a funding and coordination body that encourages private sector investment.
