New Zealand Space Agency

The New Zealand Space Agency is the public service department of New Zealand charged with "space policy, regulation and business development" relating to space activities in New Zealand.[1]

New Zealand Space Agency
Hīkina Whakatutuki
Agency overview
FormedApril 2016 (2016-04)
JurisdictionNew Zealand
HeadquartersDefence House, 15 Stout St,
Wellington
WELLINGTON 6011
Agency executive
  • Carolyn Tremain
    Chief Executive
WebsiteNew Zealand Space Agency
New Zealand Space Agency's head office on Stout Street, Wellington (the former Defence House)

History

The New Zealand Space Agency was formed in April 2016 under the country's Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. The aim of the agency is to promote the development of a space industry in New Zealand and to reap its economic benefits.[1][2] The government also established the space agency to regulate the country's growing commercial space industry, and specifically to allow space launches by the New Zealand subsidiary of Rocket Lab, a U.S. aerospace company.[3]

Spaceflight programs

MethaneSAT

In November 2019 the agency signed a partnership with the Environmental Defense Fund and American Non-governmental organization to work on MethaneSAT, an Earth observation satellite that will study human methane emissions in order to better track and combat climate change. As part of the partnership NZSA will contribute $26 Million and a New Zealand based mission control centre to the project. The mission marks New Zealand's first space science mission and is scheduled for launch in 2022.[4]

On 19 August 2020 NZSA named Dr Sara Mikaloff-Fletcher, a former carbon cycling expert at NIWA as lead scientist on the mission.[5]

Artemis Accords

On 1 June 2021, the NZSA signed the Artemis Accords, making New Zealand the 11th signatory of the accords. An announcement released the same day stated, "New Zealand has joined an international arrangement to co-operate with NASA on peaceful exploration and activity in outer space. Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta and Economic Development Minister Stuart Nash announced the government has agreed to join the Artemis Accords, launched by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and now signed by eleven nations."[6] NASA administrator Bill Nelson later congratulated the agency.[7]

See also

References
  1. "About us". Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. 12 April 2017. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
  2. "Fact sheet: Development of a New Zealand-based space economy" (PDF). Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 February 2018. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
  3. Cruzen, Craig; Schmidhuber, Michael; Lee, Young H.; Kim, Bangyeop, eds. (2017). Space Operations: Contributions from the Global Community. Springer International Publishing AG. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-51941-8. ISBN 9783319519401. LCCN 2017936667. Archived from the original on 31 October 2018. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
  4. "New Zealand joins MethaneSAT climate mission in space". Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. 7 November 2019. Archived from the original on 27 September 2020. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  5. "Lead scientist named for MethaneSAT team". Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. 19 August 2020. Archived from the original on 21 February 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  6. "Space exploration soars with Artemis Accords". The Beehive. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  7. NASA Congratulates New Zealand on Signing the Artemis Accords, retrieved 2 June 2021
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