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$3 million invested in space science partnerships
Media release
12 November 2019
$3 million invested in space science partnerships through Catalyst: Strategic Space Fund
Six New Zealand research projects have received $500,000 each from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment to fund the development of innovative space technologies including satellite control systems and ocean and coastal monitoring satellites.
The recipients of the funding, awarded through MBIE’s competitive Catalyst: Strategic Space Fund, are Dawn Aerospace, Swarm NZ Limited, The University of Auckland (x2), The University of Canterbury and Victoria University of Wellington.
The funding supports these recipients to partner with leading international space organisations to develop new space-related technologies, accessing valuable data and support. They will partner with international organisations including LeoLabs, the University of New South Wales Canberra, the German Aerospace Centre (DLR), and the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).
International Science Partnerships Manager Simon Rae says the investment will accelerate the development of space sector capability in New Zealand by enabling New Zealand researchers to build complementary partnerships with leading international space organisations.
“These partnerships enable New Zealand’s researchers to gain access to a wider range of experience and resources than they can currently access domestically,” Simon Rae said.
“The projects we have funded include innovative and novel research across a wide range of fields that will allow New Zealand researchers to develop critical competencies alongside world-class partners.”
The six successful projects were recommended from a pool of 29 proposals by a combined panel of international and domestic experts. Applications were submitted from a wide variety of organisations, showing a promising foundation for future initiatives.
The
successful projects are expected to begin later this
month.
| Organisation | Proposal title |
| Dawn Aerospace | Development of environmentally friendly, high performance satellite propulsion systems for replacement of toxic hydrazine |
| Swarm NZ Limited | Advanced small satellite control systems for collision avoidance and orbital debris mitigation |
| The University of Auckland | Small-satellite radar to monitor NZ's oceans and coasts |
| The University of Auckland | Space satellite mission design and control |
| The University of Canterbury | Taking biochemistry to new heights: developing nanosatellites for protein crystallisation |
| Victoria University of Wellington | Thermal management of cryogenic superconducting magnets in small satellites |
See Catalyst: Strategic – Space 2019 for more information on the investment and the successful proposals.
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