From O¯amaru into the great beyond
Reusable rockets could be taking off from amaru and heading into space later this year.
Representatives of New Zealandbased startup Dawn Aerospace have signed an agreement with the Waitaki District Council to launch test flights of unmanned ¯rocketpropelled spaceplanes from Oamaru Airport.
Dawn Aerospace co-founder James Powell said the site was chosen because of its stable weather, supportive local government and community, and proximity to the company’s base in Christchurch.
The company would not build hangars or workshops at the airport immediately, but this could happen later ‘‘depending on how it goes’’, Powell said.
The company is also considering other potential operational bases.
According to publicity material, Dawn Aerospace plans to revolutionise the aerospace industry by using greener satellite fuels and reusable vehicles that do not add to space debris, and creating lighter rockets that are less expensive to launch.
Powell said talks were under way with potential customers involved in scientific research.
Waitaki mayor Gary Kircher said it was an exciting time for the district.
‘‘This project will see us extend our view from our early Ma¯ ori and Victorian era roots through to the space age.’’
Dawn Aerospace was one of six companies to receive $500,000 in research funding from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment in November.
The funds will be used to develop environmentally friendly, highperformance satellite propulsion systems to replace toxic hydrazine fuel.
In December 2018, Stuff reported that Dawn Aerospace had raised $3.35 million of investment to send satellites into space using reusable rockets.
The rockets are designed to be capable of multiple flights per day.
Crown entity Callaghan Innovation also provided a $150,000 grant to the company for testing and developing the Mk-I Spaceplane.
Dawn Aerospace was founded by five engineers: Kiwi brothers Stefan and James Powell, Jeroen Wink of the Netherlands, and Germans Tobias Knop and Robert Werner.