NZ invite: Fly this way Elon
Space X founder ‘loves’ us but gives no date for touchdown
New Zealand’s own Rocket Man — Rocket Lab boss Peter Beck — has invited Space X founder Elon Musk to visit New Zealand.
And Musk seems keen – Beck told reporters yesterday that the billionaire was interested in visiting, as he “loves New Zealand”.
Although Musk did not commit to an exact date, a visit to New Zealand would likely be welcomed by the Government given its increased interest in space-based programmes and initiatives.
A newly released report revealed that New Zealand’s space sector contributed $1.7 billion to the country’s economy last year.
Economic Development Minister Phil Twyford said the report showed there was “huge potential” for New Zealand’s space sector to expand.
He named Rocket Lab as an innovative local company and added New Zealand is attracting leading space companies, such as Silicon Valley start-up LeoLabs.
Twyford said the $1.7b“far exceeded” anyone’s expectation about how much the sector was worth.
The report also shows the sector is responsible for 12,000 jobs in New Zealand.
“New Zealand has a space economy that is really taking off,” Twyford said.
“Ten years ago, very few people would have thought that was possible.”
He said the fact New Zealand was now receiving so much international competition was a good gauge of how well the space sector is doing.
Beck said New Zealand was “incredibly well-positioned” to take a much larger sector of the space industry.
“We have wonderful engineers, a great supply chain and innovative thinkers.”
Beck told reporters he has contact with Musk – enough to have invited him to come to New Zealand.
“I’m sure he will come down one day.”
Musk did not, however, provide a timeline for his visit.
“We all know each other, and respect each other’s work,” Beck said, when asked how well he knew the Space X founder.
“There have been two private companies in the history of this planet that have launched commercial spacecraft – Elon Musk with Space X and Rocket Lab.”