A new focus on innovation is set to bring conferences in the space sector and beyond to New Zealand’s pastures
When most people think ‘space race’, New Zealand rarely comes to mind. The Oceanic country is, however, one of the top four space-faring nations in the world – currently tied with Russia, behind the US and China, for most launches to orbit.
New Zealand is equipped with rocket launch sites, a fast-growing space network and opportunities for high-end space conferences. “New Zealand’s strong tradition of innovation, building on natural advantage and the inspiration of our open, starry skies, is driving a thriving space sector,” says Tourism New Zealand global manager of business events Penelope Ryan. “If you seek a destination offering out of this world thinking and experiences, it’s here to find.”
Tekapo, CanterburySpace cities
New Zealand’s second largest city, Christchurch, has just been announced as one of four founding members of the global Space Cities Network, a collection of convention bureaux using business events as a catalyst to increase collaboration in the space sector. Christchurch is home to national industry body, Aerospace New Zealand, and a thriving network of space and adjacent businesses, including advanced aviation and a strong electronic manufacturing cluster.
Low air traffic and favourable atmospheric conditions allow for the development of new technology. The east coast of New Zealand’s South Island was once a plain grazed by cattle. Now, the Tāwhaki National Aerospace Centre sees advanced aviation and drones launch into its skies.
In a joint venture between Māori and the New Zealand government, the multi-use aerospace facility encompasses testing, flight and launch capability. Close ties to Antarctica as a gateway city support the application of aerospace technologies on the continent.
Beyond Christchurch, New Zealand’s space network stretches across the country and its universities. In the South, that includes the Awarua Satellite Ground Station, the Leolabs Kiwi Space Radar, Xerra Earth Observation Institute, and an Aero+Space cluster at University of Otago with a specialisation in health in space.
Hawke’s Bay’s Māhia Peninsula is the launch site for Rocket Lab, a global leader in dedicated launch to orbit for small satellites. In Auckland, the University of Auckland’s Te Pūnaha Ātea – Space Institute is a multi-faculty space science & engineering initiative, while AUT is home to the Centre for Radio Astronomy and Space Research.
A commitment to sustainable space exploration has seen New Zealand companies aiming for the new heights. Dawn Aerospace designs ‘in-space propulsion’ to manoeuvre satellites in orbit, avoiding costly collisions and ‘space junk’. Kea Aerospace has developed a solar-powered, unmanned aircraft that provides high-resolution aerial imaging. Advanced materials expertise is evident at Zenith Tecnica, which uses sustainable titanium 3D printing to manufacture satellite components.
New Zealand Aerospace SummitInnovation meets conference inspiration
New Zealand’s small population and connectedness is also seeing space technology cross boundaries with other leading areas of expertise – and conference content – in the country. As Aerospace NZ operations manager Vickie Harman notes: “Everything is aerospace, from your cell phone to the map you use. It is used for connecting people, predicting weather, tracking climate change and much more. It’s just what the future will look like.”
The country’s growing earth observation and remote sensing capability is combining with the country’s strength in geoscience to find applications for societal benefit, including volcano mapping, monitoring landslides, post-disaster recovery and the detection of erosion. Following a successful Machine Intelligence for GeoAnalytics and Remote Sensing (MIGARS) conference in April in Wellington, the country has secured the IEEE’s flagship International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (IGARSS) for 2028 in Auckland.
NASA experts were among the delegates attending ForestSAT 2024 in Rotorua this September, the international conference on the application of remote sensing technologies for forest monitoring and modelling. Christchurch hosted Extreme Solar Systems V in March 2024, focusing on the study of exoplanets outside of our solar system.
International astronomers were drawn by the opportunity to visit the nearby University of Canterbury Mount John Observatory for a chance to see systems that can only be viewed from the Southern Hemisphere. Meanwhile, the annual New Zealand Aerospace Summit, hosted in Christchurch, has more than doubled in size in three years. Its 2025 edition will be an official adjacent event to the International Astronautical Congress (IAC), taking place in Sydney next year.
Look to the stars
New Zealand’s clear night skies are not just great for rocket launches. New Zealand is aiming to become the world’s first ‘Dark Sky Nation’ and is currently home to eight internationally recognised ‘Dark Sky’ sanctuaries and parks across the country.
Southern Alps, South IslandDuring off-peak months – typically conference season – New Zealand’s night skies are longer and clearer, making for beautiful stargazing conditions that add appeal to any conference agenda. Many of New Zealand’s favourite pre and post conference activities can be enjoyed with a sprinkling of stardust.
For New Zealand’s indigenous Māori people, the night sky is used for navigation, as a guide to the seasons, and connects them to their ancestors. Engage with the culture via Tekapō’s Dark Sky Experience, combining tātai aroraki (Māori astronomy) and science; or with Horizon Tours’ Southern Skies Stargazing tour in Ōtepoti, Dunedin, sighting celestial features while also sharing Māori stories and waiata (songs).
Combine the restorative healing powers of Rotorua’s thermal spas with a spot of ‘spa gazing’ at Wai Ariki Hot Springs & Spa, which offers a stargazing pool, Tirotiro Whetū, with a perfect view of Mt Ngongotahā and the stars above.
Pukaki Observatory TelescopeOr try some ‘stargrazing’, dining under a star-studded sky and enjoying exceptional local cuisine and exquisite New Zealand wines. Options range from Billion Star Dining at Mt Cook Lakeside Retreat, Aoraki Mount Cook, complete with 6-course fine dining experience at Moraine Lodge, followed by a stargazing experience at the Pukaki Observatory, which doubles as a wine cellar. Or enjoy spellbinding views and great cuisine at the Dark Sky Diner, Lake Tekapo, located at the Dark Sky Project Base.
Amisfield, Queenstown, OtagoAt vineyard and restaurant Amisfield, Tāhuna, Queenstown, dine out on the star-studded views from its glasshouse conservatory; or the vineyard at Mount Rosa Lodge even offers an evening of intellectual exploration and gastronomic delight with Brian, a local astrophysicist.
Interested in launching your next conference in New Zealand?
Visit businessevents.newzealand.com
