In a massive blow to the Northern Territory's ambitious space program, Equatorial Launch Australia (ELA) has ceased operations of the Arnhem Space Centre and announced it would relocate the spaceport to a new site in Queensland. or signup to continue reading The ELA-run spaceport saw NASA launch rockets from Arnhem Land in 2022 - for the first time from a commercial port outside of the US. Now, ELA has laid the blame on the Northern Land Council for having been "forced" to make its decision to abandon the NT site on Gumatj land near the town of Nhulunbuy. "This decision has been forced by the inability of the Company to finalise a lease for the expansion of the Arnhem Space Centre," the company said in a statement. "The decision came after the Northern Land Council (NLC) failed to meet its own specified deadline for the approval of the Head Lease for the fourth time over the last 12 months in October 2024." ELA claims it had made "desperate appeals", together with the Northern Territory Chief Minister's Department and the Gumatj Corporation since February 2024, but the NLC "would not issue a Head Lease or provide any official reasons for the delays". "Accordingly, Management and the Board of ELA were left with no option other than to act in the best interest of its customers and shareholders, abandon negotiations, and seek an alternate equatorial site in Queensland." But the Northern Land Council has hit back to "set the record straight on falsehoods shared by Equatorial Launch Australia". "ELA provided inaccurate, unrealistic timelines and unfairly blamed the NLC for delays as the reason for their decision," the Land Council said in a statement. "The NLC has engaged proactively and positively to facilitate a substantial, swift and, most crucially, safe agreement being made between ASC and Traditional Owners." Under its statutory obligations, the NLC is required to facilitate land use agreements between Aboriginal people and entities wishing to conduct business on their land, across the Top End of the NT. The Land Council said since September 2023 it had been in negotiations with ELA in regards to the planned space centre expansion in Arnhem Land, "consistently request(ing) essential information and terms to be provided, so that it could facilitate informative consultations with all Traditional Owners affected, including progressing the work of independent expert consultants". The NLC said negotiations had been "complicated", alleging ELA's "attempts to circumvent sacred sites protection requirements, breaches of previous agreement conditions, requiring confidentiality agreements, and significantly delaying responses to crucial correspondence". Matthew Ryan, NLC Chair, said it was "vital for Countrymen, and in the interest of all Australians", that sacred and cultural sites are protected and at the same time Aboriginal people are included in and benefit from economic developments on their Country". "Our people will not be pushed into cutting corners for outside business timelines, nor can we jeopardise cultural obligations, our Country, or the hard-won Land Rights of our people," he said. "We stand with our East Arnhem-based Council Members and all the clans of East Arnhem Land, when we say that we are very disappointed with how ELA has handled this. Especially the false timeline they are sharing and how they have obviously been working behind-the-scenes with Queensland - where they don't have the Aboriginal Land Rights Act to make sure Aboriginal Lands are respected and protected, and where they already have that appointed coordinator to dangerously rush things through." Mr Ryan said the NLC had "worked hard" to keep the Arnhem Space Centre's agreement moving, acknowledging the "opportunities the ASC could present to Aboriginal people across the Top End in terms of economic development and education". ELA said it had worked with the Queensland Government to move its spaceport to Weipa, hoping it will have regulatory clearances for contracted launches in late 2025. Meanwhile, the NT Government - a financial supporter of the space port - said it was "exploring legal options regarding our 5 per cent shareholding in ELA", which is believed to be worth about $5 million. I am an award-winning media and communications professional with experience across print, digital, social and radio broadcast, as well as photography and videography. I am the NT Correspondent at Australian Community Media and I write for my hometown newspaper, the Katherine Times. I love telling people's stories, and I am passionate about giving those a voice who may otherwise remain unheard. When I am not busy putting pen to paper, I spend time in my garden, go bushwalking or travel across the Northern Territory, Australia or the world. In my spare time I write, illustrate and publish books. I am an award-winning media and communications professional with experience across print, digital, social and radio broadcast, as well as photography and videography. I am the NT Correspondent at Australian Community Media and I write for my hometown newspaper, the Katherine Times. I love telling people's stories, and I am passionate about giving those a voice who may otherwise remain unheard. When I am not busy putting pen to paper, I spend time in my garden, go bushwalking or travel across the Northern Territory, Australia or the world. In my spare time I write, illustrate and publish books. DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. 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