WELLINGTON (Reuters) – New Zealand on Wednesday launched a space policy for the country, outlining the growing geopolitical risks associated with space and the need to work with like-minded partners to protect the country’s national security.
“Strategic competition on Earth is increasingly replicated in space, endangering the security and stability of this critical domain,” the policy said. “To pursue the government’s national security objectives, the New Zealand government will also aim to develop and retain its own domestic space capabilities.”
A 2019 Deloitte report estimated that New Zealand’s space industry supported roughly 12,000 people and contributed NZ$1.69 billion ($1.07 billion) annually to the economy. Companies such as Rocket Lab and Dawn Aerospace operate there. The country’s location makes certain types of orbits easier to attain.
In 2022, New Zealand and the U.S. signed an agreement that allowed the countries to work more closely in the space sector; Rocket Lab has launched satellites for NASA.
($1 = 1.5763 New Zealand dollars)
(Reporting by Lucy Craymer)
