Christchurch entrepreneur to be launched into space

Otago Daily Times

21-05-2025

A Christchurch internet and aerospace entrepreneur is set to become the first Kiwi to go to space.
Mark Rocket is the current President of Aerospace New Zealand and is leading the way in the emerging aerospace sector in Christchurch.
Rocket will reach orbit via a Blue Origin suborbital flight from Texas, with the date yet to be announced, 1News reported.
It will be the 12th human space flight by Amazon owner Jeff Bezos' space tourism business. Christchurch company goes to the stratosphere
Rocket, who changed his surname years ago to match his lifelong passion, told 1News space travel is something he thinks about 'all the time'.
'Ever since I was a kid. I've always been fascinated by space technology and space travel. I remember at primary school I did a project about the planets," Rocket told 1News .
'I've always been fascinated by the concepts of space and infinity. Essentially, we live in a solar system which is vast, a galaxy which is vast, and this incredible universe. which is just hard to imagine the concepts. So I've always found that really compelling."
After founding two successful internet companies in 1998 and selling one of them in 2006, Rocket had the freedom to turn his lifelong passion for space exploration into a world-changing business.
He entered the aerospace world as a seed investor of Rocket Lab where he served as the company's co-director from 2007 to 2011.
As well as his involvement with Aerospace Christchurch, he has worked with the Government to develop a space strategy for New Zealand and in 2018 founded his own company, Kea Aerospace.
The Christchurch-based company has already begun to make an impact for good with its first project, The Kea Atmos.
The project is a solar-powered, zero-emissions unmanned aerial vehicle which will capture aerial imagery and collect data from the stratosphere.
The Kea Atmos will look to revolutionise the practice of aerial imagery, with the goal of continuing to gather crucial information that will assist the world in combating climate change.
Meanwhile, Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket system will level out 100km above Earth, before returning to the ground under parachutes. The entire flight lasts around 11 minutes but Rocket told 1News he is not fazed by the duration.
'Certainly, the trip itself is pretty short, but buckling in, getting ready to experience 3Gs of rocket-powered flight up to space will be pretty phenomenal.'
Once in space, the crew can unbuckle and fly around the cabin in zero gravity, which Rocket said will be a 'major milestone'.
The previous Blue Origin flight was crewed by a raft of US celebrities, including Gayle King and Katy Perry.
But Rocket told 1News he is not expecting such high-profile fanfare on his mission.
'I know who the crew is, and there's no Brad Pitt or Jennifer Aniston on board! So, I won't be expecting the red carpet treatment from Jeff Bezos.'