New Zealand’s First Space Minister Sets Out an Ambitious Space Roadmap

New Zealand is a country that punches above its weight in the space arena. The country, which has a population of just over 5 million people is making a big splash in space. Rocket Lab, one of the poster children of the New Space era, put New Zealand on the map. But the nation also has a long-term partnership with the United States, and is intent on using space even more to benefit the economy. Investing in its space endeavors, New Zealand recently created a government position – Minister of Space – to try and maximize the potential of space-based initiatives.

Minister of Space Judith Collins has served many roles in New Zealand’s government, and is the first person to take on this new role. She is also Attorney-General, Minister of Defence, Minister for Digitising Government, Minister Responsible for the GCSB, Minister Responsible for the NZSIS, Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology, Minister for Space, and Lead Coordination Minister for the Government’s Response to the Royal Commission’s Report into the Terrorist Attack on the Christchurch Mosques.

In this interview, Via Satellite talks to Collins about her aspirations and ambitions for the space sector in New Zealand and why the time was right for New Zealand to have a Minister of Space.

VIA SATELLITE: Tell us about the importance of space for New Zealand’s economy. How transformative has space been in New Zealand? How important is it to have a sovereign space capability?

Collins: Developing New Zealand’s space and emerging aviation sectors will help to grow and diversify our wider economy. Space and aerospace can be key contributors, generating export revenue, research and development activity, and creating high quality employment. Since 2017, there have been over 40 orbital launches from New Zealand and we have issued more than 110 payload permits, encompassing over 170 satellites.

In fact, we had the fourth highest number of rocket launches in the world last year – but there is more to our space sector than rocket launches. We have a young but thriving commercial industry and there are opportunities for New Zealand to develop and apply space-based data in areas where we have existing strengths, such as agri-technology, hazard management, oceanography and meteorology.

New Zealand businesses also have the potential to develop in space-related areas such as satellite design and manufacturing, and space science, technology and engineering research activity.

The question of sovereign space capability is interesting. Space-based capabilities deliver a wide range of services that underpin our daily life in New Zealand, enabling communications, navigation, financial transactions, weather services, environmental monitoring and much more.

Space systems are also very important for protecting and enhancing New Zealand’s national security. They are fundamental to the success of modern military operations; a critical enabler of more than 90 percent of military capability. While New Zealand is largely reliant on the space capabilities of our partners as well as commercial offerings, we have a space sector capable of delivering sovereign capabilities for New Zealand. This would enhance national resilience and support our space sector.

VIA SATELLITE: Why does New Zealand now need a first Minister of Space?

Collins: My role is primarily to be the government representative of the New Zealand space sector, set the policy direction for space activities, and approve licensing and payload applications.

I actively promote the space sector locally and abroad, as I did last month at the annual Space Symposium in Colorado, showcasing New Zealand’s space capabilities to the world. I’m also responsible for ensuring we have the right regulatory settings to help the sector innovate and grow safely, as well as build, foster and leverage international connections.

As well as space, other warrants I hold include defense, the intelligence communities and science, innovation and technology. That's not by mistake. All of these portfolios are linked and while everything is obviously carefully and independently considered, it really does make it easier when the Space Minister knows what's going on in these closely related areas.

VIA SATELLITE: A number of countries are investing more and more in developing space capabilities as they see the benefits of space technology. How are you going to help startups in New Zealand progress?

Collins: New Zealand has space companies that supply the wider value chain so investment into the wider ecosystem is valuable to New Zealand. As a government we are committed to helping businesses and researchers turn world-leading ideas into innovative products and solutions. Smart investments and the involvement of the private sector alongside quality regulation and the growth of New Zealand’s domestic space capability will be critical to supporting the growth of our emerging aviation and space sectors.

VIA SATELLITE: Are you ramping the funding for space companies in New Zealand?

Collins: We have a relatively new government, and as the first Minister for Space, space is certainly a priority, but we are still getting into the specifics of how to advance it.

VIA SATELLITE: Could you tell us a bit more about the partnership with the United States? Why is this a landmark partnership for New Zealand?

Collins: It is a landmark partnership because it is critical to launch and other space activity in New Zealand. While the initial focus was on regulatory issues, it has grown over the last eight years to be a broad relationship covering our shared space interests – commercial, regulatory, policy, science and security.

When Rocket Lab signaled its intention to launch from Mahia, New Zealand and the U.S. negotiated a Technology Safeguards Agreement (TSA) for transferring sensitive rocket and satellite technology to New Zealand. Our space law enables us to recognise launch licenses from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and so, under a recently renewed Memorandum of Cooperation, we cooperate on the safe and efficient regulation of launches from New Zealand.

Our regulatory regime is flexible and requires us to develop policies for different activities. Given their deep experience, we have extensive discussions with US counterparts on regulating space activities.

In March, I announced funding for 12 Earth science feasibility studies between New Zealand researchers and NASA centers. We will soon be announcing the sixth cohort of high-caliber New Zealand students to undertake internships at NASA centers.

The U.S. is a critical market and source of investment for New Zealand’s space firms. During my recent visit to the U.S., I spoke to the leadership of the Office of Space Commerce and other agencies about how our commercial space relationship could be advanced, including through addressing regulatory barriers to trade and R&D collaboration.

VIA SATELLITE: What impact have Peter Beck and Rocket Lab had in supercharging the NZ Space Economy?

Collins: Rocket Lab has played a very important part in supercharging the space economy and they remain at the forefront of the New Zealand ecosystem. There have been a number of developments since their first launch and now we have a wide range of space companies performing all different types of activity here.

VIA SATELLITE: How are you looking to make it easier for companies to invest in the New Zealand Space economy?

Collins: That role sits with another government agency within New Zealand, NZTE that I do not have direct oversight of – however, NZTE does have space as a focus. I was recently at the Space Symposium in Colorado accompanying a number of New Zealand firms and researchers and promoting the New Zealand sector in my role as Minister for Space.

VIA SATELLITE: Could we see more launches from New Zealand in future? Could you tell us about the spaceport/launch strategy?

Collins: As well as the private launch facilities in New Zealand through Rocket Lab, there are also multi-use facilities in the South Island. The government has invested in the Tāwhaki Aerospace Centre, which plays an important role in ensuring that companies have access to the right infrastructure to support them with testing and trialing innovative technology. By enabling aerospace firms to carry out research and development here in New Zealand we can help to foster innovation and grow our high value emerging aviation and space sectors.

VIA SATELLITE: How do you view the regulatory environment for space companies in New Zealand? Can the government do more here? What are the major challenges here?

Collins: New Zealand has a business-friendly environment, with a future-focused policy and regulatory regime that keeps pace with innovation. While we have got a nimble regulatory environment, we need to continue our work to stay in step with the needs of the industry.

VIA SATELLITE: Space is becoming more and more contested. How do you think this will impact a country like New Zealand? We are seeing more cyber-attacks on space-based infrastructure. Are you looking to develop cybersecurity capabilities alongside space capabilities?

Collins: New Zealand is committed to the safe, responsible, peaceful, and sustainable use of space.

VIA SATELLITE: New Zealand has a population of just over 5 million people. How can space make life better for the majority of the people here?

Collins: I think many New Zealanders take their reliance on space technology for granted but it helps New Zealand to advance both our national security and economic interests. This includes using satellite imagery to help track illegal fishing, or GPS to support our maritime supply chains, as well as responding to wider regional challenges, including military operations and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. From an economic perspective, space and aerospace can be key contributors to New Zealand’s economy, generating export revenue, research and development activity, and creating high quality employment.

VIA SATELLITE: Even though New Zealand has a relatively small population, do you believe it can have a very strong role in the global space economy?

Collins: I believe we play an important role both in niche capabilities but also as a trusted partner with a history of solving difficult problems in unique ways. New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research.

We are contributing to and benefiting from world-leading space science and technology, through our agreements with international space organizations and commercial operators. There are also exciting opportunities for New Zealand businesses to develop in space-related areas such as satellite design and manufacturing, and space science, technology and engineering research activity.

VIA SATELLITE: As New Zealand’s First Minister of Space, what would represent success for you in this role? How do you measure that?

Collins: I want to see space and aerospace as critical contributors to our economy, generating export revenue, research and development activity, and creating high quality employment at a greater scale than it already is. I want to see this represented as quantifiable growth that can be measured – more launches, more jobs and greater economic impact. New Zealand is a significant space & aerospace country, but we can do more and continue to grow the New Zealand economy. VS