Katherine Bennell-Pegg is the first Australian woman to qualify as an astronaut after a year of training in Germany.

She was selected from a pool of 22,500 applicants and is one of six graduates now eligible for spaceflight.

Bennell-Pegg could become the first astronaut on an Australian space mission, though her selection for a mission is not guaranteed.

Returning to the Australian Space Agency, she aims to motivate young Australians to pursue space careers.

Australian space missions face financial challenges, with recent industry funding cuts of $77 million.

Advocates like Dr. Malcolm Davis call for investment in Australian space capabilities, eyeing the $1.5 trillion space industry by 2040.