On a visit to the Australian National University's space engineering projects at Mount Stromlo, Mr Hadfield, known for his rendition of David Bowie's Space Oddity, gave a thumbs up to the projects at the university's research school of astronomy and astrophysics at Mount Stromlo Observatory, before speaking to a sell-out crowd on Sunday night at ANU.

Scientists snapped photos of Mr Hadfield and asked him for autographs as he toured new space instruments at the school and was introduced to an ANU project that aims to monetise techniques to clean up space junk.

The school hopes to be able to eventually find and track space junk, and then charge industry for the service.

Interactive lasers are hoped to isolate and slow down junk in orbit, so it falls and burns as it re-enters the atmosphere, school director Matthew Colless said.

Mr Hadfield said inspiring children to take up science careers was a "chicken and an egg" situation.

He added: "If people don't see there is an opportunity, if they are truly interested in a certain topic and the country does not provide it, then they will leave."

Naomi Mathers, an industry liaison engineer at the school, said the new facilities at Mount Stromlo were already acting as a honeypot for the nation's space scientists.

"With new space facilities that Australia hasn't had before we are seeing a lot more concentration of interest in Canberra," she said.

"We will see it's no longer a hurdle having to test overseas. There are already plans to build instruments and small spacecraft, so we are really seeing Canberra as a hub for that sort of activity."