Rocket men have a blast
Plans for New Zealand to become a space hub could launch a $1.5b industry, reports Hamish McNicol.
NEW Zealand, seen as the nation of sheep and cows, could soon become the nation with the highest frequency of space launches anywhere in the world.
This was Rocket Lab boss Peter Beck’s vision, on the eve of New Zealand becoming just the 11th country to put a satellite into orbit.
It sounded ambitious: ‘‘If you look at the other 10, the majority of those are superpowers,’’ Beck said.
But support for a New Zealand space industry has grown, and some have suggested all systems are go for its take-off.
And with it already estimated to have a potential economic impact worth $1.5 billion over the next 20 years, the call has gone out for other companies to take advantage.
This month, state-owned Airways, the provider of air traffic control services for the country, signed a deal with Rocket Lab to ensure regular rocket launches here could be safe.
Rocket Lab planned up to 100 launches into space a year, and Airways chief operating officer Pauline Lamb has urged other space companies to take a ‘‘deeper look’’ at this country’s potential.
A relatively uncongested airspace and an appetite for new technologies meant Airways had already helped about 120 nearspace launches in New Zealand airspace, and Nasa and Google had both chosen the country for balloon launches.
‘‘Now other people launch rockets and it’s not one-size-fitsall,’’ Lamb said. ‘‘We recognise that here in New Zealand and we can adapt to whatever the requirement is.’’
This meant balloons, drones and rockets were on the horizon, although how the local industry would expand was difficult to predict.
Lamb also pushed the work of the Government, which in June said it was putting in place a new regulatory regime to enable safe, secure and responsible space launches.
Economic Development minister Steven Joyce said: ‘‘There is the opportunity to build New Zealand’s capacity and expertise across a broad spectrum of space and high altitude activities, from rocket technology to the use of satellites to perform functions that benefit our economy, environment and society; as well as attracting offshore talent and investment.’’
Lane Neave corporate solicitor Maria Pozza, a specialist space and aviation lawyer, said the new legislation regarding activities in outer space and launching from New Zealand not only safeguarded the country’s interests, but also demonstrated to the world the infrastructure was in place for more space businesses.
‘‘It is realistic that New Zealand will become a space hub, especially for small satellite launches and operations as a result of its geographical location, excellent governance structures and reputation for technological ingenuity,’’ Pozza said.
Beck from Rocket Lab doesn’t want competing operators but conceded he has fielded a ‘‘number of conversations’’ from some very large companies, and said his company had ‘‘certainly paved the way’’ for others.
The company’s site on Mahia Peninsula, on the East Coast south of Gisborne, was the first private orbital launch range in the world, licensed to launch every 72 hours for the next 30 years. In July, Rocket Lab signed up US technology company Planet for at least satellite launches, using Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket.
The 18-metre tall Electron rocket was designed to send satellites into orbit for as little as $68,000 – ‘‘materially’’ cheaper than the alternatives.
‘‘When we launch later this year and early next, as a company we’ll become only the second private company in the history of the planet to have ever put a satellite in orbit,’’ Beck said.
This was where he saw the real growth opportunity for New Zealand – not more launch sites, but around what launches enabled other businesses and people to do.
A report from Sapere Research Group in June found Rocket Lab’s establishment of a rocket launch industry would contribute between $600m and $1.55b to the economy over the next 20 years.