NZ heads to infinity and beyond

Otago Daily Times

07-07-2025

It was difficult not to stifle a snort of derision when the government announced last week that New Zealand was about to set up a dedicated "space unit".
The kiwi is, famously, a ground-dwelling bird, so the notion that the nation's military was about to be tasked with responsibility for preserving our place in the stratosphere — at first glance — seemed worthy of high comedy.
And yet, for all the comedic potential that Defence Minister Judith Collins' announcement offered, on closer consideration it may well not be such an out-of-this-world idea after all.
New Zealand's stake in outer space is one well worth protecting.
A recent report estimated that — thanks to the likes of Southlander Sir Peter Beck's company Rocket Lab — that the space sector contributes about $2.5 billion annually to the New Zealand economy.
There are also about 17,000 jobs connected directly or indirectly to the space sector, and they are local jobs: there are Dunedin firms, especially engineering companies, which have valuable and ongoing contracts with the space industry.
Thus far New Zealand has mainly been engaged with sending technology and satellites from other countries and companies into space.
Given we already have rocket launch sites and gifted innovators in the fields of high tech and manufacturing, it is not too far-fetched to think that the days of the country launching its own orbiting machines are to come.
The fact that New Zealand is a small country should be a driver rather than a deterrent in this respect.
As Ms Collins pointed out, the country relies on space-based infrastructure for a range of critical services, from weather observation to financial transactions.
While the country can rely on satellite coverage from elsewhere to a certain degree, we are in a far distant corner of the planet and others will not prioritise what is going on in our backyard.
Satellites are increasingly being used in fields like agriculture, for example, and Nasa is not as likely to be interested in tracking stock to pasture ratios on the east coast of Otago as we are.
And, as Cyclone Gabrielle demonstrated, reliable satellite-derived communications will be vital during and after future natural disasters.
It would be preferable to have our own resources to fall back on rather than relying on the future profitability of Elon Musk's companies.
"The squadron's initial focus will be on monitoring, analysing, and understanding space activity to safeguard national and international interests," Ms Collins said.
Those words are bland and unspecific, but given the international intelligence sharing agreements that New Zealand is party to, let alone the involvement of the New Zealand Defence Force, it would be safe to say that border security — both economic, in terms of things like fisheries surveillance, and military in terms of keeping an eye out for unwanted visitors —will be high on the agenda.
New Zealand, through the space squadron, will be one of a dozen Pacific countries monitoring the region and sharing information.
While distance has protected New Zealand thus far, even a cursory glance at how war is being conducted these days in the Ukraine, Gaza and the wider Middle East is instructive as to how being far away from a potential assailant can no longer be relied upon to keep the country safe.
There is a pleasing synchronicity in No 62 Squadron being reactivated as New Zealand's "space squadron".
During World War 2, 62 Squadron operated radar systems — ground-breaking surveillance science then.
It will be using infinitely superior technology now, but its basic mission will remain the same: to preserve New Zealand's best interests.
The space unit is not about an astronomical police force using rockets and rayguns. It is about sensible precautions fit for the modern world and the uncertain future ahead.
With a dozen personnel it is not an extravagant luxury. And although a defence force endeavour it comes with the promise that it will work alongside business, industry and academics to also advance peaceful endeavours.