Payloads approved for launch

As part of this commitment we are releasing, on a quarterly basis, a summary of all payloads approved for launch by the Minister for Space.

List of all approved payloads to 31 March 2026

Summary of approved payloads

New Zealand has approved a diverse range of payloads for launch into outer space. These approvals include:

• payloads launched from New Zealand, and
• New Zealand payloads launched from overseas.

The information below summarises approved payloads by country, owner and purpose of all payloads up to 31 March 2026. Note that some payload permits are for more than 1 satellite.

Where information has not been published about a payload, there are grounds for withholding that information under the Official Information Act 1982.

Number of payload permits approved

2 payload permits were issued between 1 January and 31 March 2026, bringing the total to 150 payload permits approved to date.

Permit holders by organisation type

150 payload permits have been issued to 85 different organisations, including:

• 57 commercial organisations
• 5 for government organisations
• 22 for academic institutions
• 1 for non-profit organisations

Payload purposes

Approved payloads support a wide range of purposes, including science, technology demonstration, remote sensing, educational, communications and other commercial activities. Note some payloads can have more than one purpose.

Science

Examples of scientific payloads approved by New Zealand include payloads that:

• collect data from space to investigate potential links between atmospheric activity and tectonic activity on Earth,
• conduct space weather experiments,
• collect radio signals from outside the Earth’s atmosphere.

Technology demonstration

Examples of technology demonstration payloads approved by New Zealand include payloads that:

• demonstrate audio, video and data file transfer capabilities between ground facilities and the payloads,
• provide calibration points for ground based radar to assist with the tracking of orbital debris,
• test efficient battery charging in an orbital environment.

Remote sensing

Remote sensing payloads observe the Earth from orbit and provide data or imagery to users. Examples of remote sensing payloads approved by New Zealand include those supporting:

• disaster relief,
• agricultural monitoring,
• maritime traffic tracking,
• defence and security.

Educational 

New Zealand has approved payloads for a range of educational missions, including student‑developed CubeSats from Mexico, Australia, and several United States academic institutions.  These missions have involved research, development, and remote-sensing activities, such as:

• digital image processing and software improvement experiments,
• broadcasting Morse Code messages globally on amateur radio frequencies, to be received by students around the world,
• collecting data on radiation present in low Earth orbit,
• taking photos of the Earth, Moon and Venus.

Communications

Examples of communications payloads that have been launched from New Zealand include payloads that:

• provide commercial data connectivity services through low-power and low-data rate VHF communications between Earth and space.

Other commercial

Commercial organisations may also deploy payloads for purposes that do not fit neatly within the categories above. Approved examples include payloads used for:

• creating artificial meteor showers,
• sending ashes to space.

Approved payloads

The below summaries are for all payloads and other licences approved between 1 January and 31 March 2026.

Where information has not been published about a payload, there are grounds for withholding that information under the Official Information Act 1982.