SYDNEY, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- A space program in the Australian State of Queensland could add over 4.2 billion U.S. dollars to the region's economy by 2036, according to a local official.

Minister for State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning Cameron Dick said a Deloitte report, titled "Sky is not the limit: Building Queensland's space economy" showed that Queensland has the capability and location to develop their already competitive space industry into an integral part of the state's economy.

"Queensland's space industry employs more than 2000 full-time positions and generates 543.9 million U.S. dollars per year through core industry services like satellite communications," Dick was quoted as saying by reported revealed on Sunday.

"With our advanced manufacturing supply chain and world-leading research programs, it makes sense for Queensland to also be the home of Australia's space manufacturing industry," Dick said.

According to Dick, a number of Queensland universities and companies already play an integral part in global space research and technology, including NASA's mission to identify inhabitable planets beyond our solar system, world leading hypersonic rocket development, the design and manufacture of advanced composite materials, as well as in new satellite launch and communications technologies.

The report showed that investment in the state's space industry, from research through to design, manufacturing and operating systems could add between 4,000 and 6,000 jobs within the next two decades.

However, it showed that the true value of space infrastructure is in its potential to improve analytics, mapping and data technology, with applications across the resources, agriculture and telecommunications sectors.

The Queensland government said they now have a framework by which to structure their policy in relation to this future key industry.