New Zealand to have new regulations for space-related infrastructure by July

Wellington: New Zealand will have in place by July legislation regulating operators of ground-based space infrastructure, aimed at deterring foreign interference, the country’s Space Minister Judith Collins said.

The new regulations, which were flagged at the end of 2024, come after New Zealand’s intelligence service raised concerns last September that some foreign entities had tried to establish space infrastructure, which would have “assisted foreign military activity that could have harmed New Zealand interests."

Collins said in a statement that the new regulatory regime will start in July and will deter foreign interference in New Zealand’s infrastructure that carry out tracking and control of spacecraft, space surveillance and the transfer of data to and from spacecraft.

New Zealand is a member of the "Five Eyes" intelligence grouping, along with the U.S., Australia, Canada and Britain.

While neither the minister nor the report mention China specifically, the report noted that China remained a complex intelligence concern in New Zealand but there were other states undertaking malicious activity as well.

The South Pacific nation's location and clear skies make it a good place to launch and monitor satellites from, with the European Space Agency among those keeping an eye on space from New Zealand.

Collins said the bill will see regulations put in place setting out detailed requirements for ground-based space infrastructure registration including for protective security and due diligence systems, which operators will need to implement.

“The introduction of this new regime will serve as a deterrent. It sends a very clear message that we take our national security seriously, and we will act if we suspect that it is under threat,” Collins said.