Defence Force prepares to send experimental tech to space on foreign satellite

The Defence Force is gearing up to send its second-ever experimental technology into space on someone else's satellite.

It refuses to say whose satellite the gear is integrated into, but said the US is participating in the project.

The Defence Force (NZDF) relied almost entirely on partner countries for satellite and other space capabilities, but had a few ground-based space-related systems, and had pledged to acquire some of its own in space itself.

The NZDF put its first experimental payload on a satellite launched by Rocket Lab from the US in March this year.

The second was due to launch, also from the US, in January.

The tech would test space-to-space, ground-to-space and space-to-ground communications with partner nations for two years to see how it performed, to help future operations, the NZDF said

Asked by RNZ if was is a US Department of Defence satellite, NZDF said: "The NZDF is not the lead on this launch and is not currently authorised to provide further details at this stage."

It cited a part of Official Information Act law that allowed it to withhold information entrusted to it by another country or foreign agency.

"The US is a participant in our research and development partnership, providing advice on the engineering aspects of payload development, ground station development and operation of the host satellite," it said.

"The payload functions were defined by the NZDF and the NZDF conducts all payload operations.

"These activities are coordinated with our research and development partners, who are integral to the operation of the satellite and the research being conducted."

However, the launches were not part of the Combined Space Operations (CSpO) Initiative that New Zealand joined, alongside its major allies, a decade ago.

The Tui launch in January - March's one was dubbed "Korimako" - did not have a space domain awareness (SDA) function, Defence added.

It was engaged in SDA operations that tracked non-classified satellite movements at a Pentagon-funded hub in Auckland that was set up last year.

The government said in its new space strategy that it was setting up a national space mission to launch New Zealand's first "sovereign" space satellite.

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