Register of high-altitude vehicles
We’re committed to keeping New Zealanders informed about our licencing activities. As part of this commitment, we are maintaining a register of all high-altitude licences approved by the Minister for Space.
On this page
High-altitude vehicles are licenced under the Outer Space and High-altitude Activities Act 2017 and the Outer Space and High-altitude Activities (Licences and Permits) Regulations 2017.
Outer Space and High-altitude Activities Act 2017(external link) — Legislation New Zealand
Outer Space and High-altitude Activities (Licences and Permits) Regulations 2017(external link) — Legislation New Zealand
Each high-altitude licence has been approved by the Minister for Space, on advice from officials.
This public register is a record of high-altitude licences issued by the New Zealand Government.
Record of high-altitude licences issued by the New Zealand Government
Kea Atmos Mk-1
Date granted: 29 January 2025
Owner or operator: Kea Aerospace Limited
Country of origin: New Zealand
Kea is a New Zealand-incorporated company based in Christchurch. The company’s focus is to develop its proprietary solar-powered remotely-piloted aircraft, ‘Kea Atmos’ of which the Mk-1 is an iteration.
18 MCF SPB
Date granted: 13 January 2025
Owner or operator: NASA
Country of origin: United States
This is the second set of launches NASA will conduct from New Zealand using the NASA designed Super Pressure Balloon (SPB) ‘18 MCF SPB’ vehicle.
The primary objective of the mission is to demonstrate the operational capability of an extended duration stratospheric balloon.
The outcomes of the mission will support NASA’s ongoing balloon development programme for scientific and technological investigations.
Aurora Mk-II
Date granted: 14 February 2024
Owner or operator: Dawn Aerospace New Zealand Limited
Country of origin: New Zealand
Dawn Aerospace is a New Zealand aerospace company with subsidiaries in the United States and the Netherlands.
The company manufactures a suborbital spaceplane, 'Aurora', of which the Mk-II is an iteration. A spaceplane is an aircraft that takes off and lands conventionally but is capable of entering space.
K-200
Date granted: 12 December 2022
Owner or operator: Argo Navis Limited
Country of origin: New Zealand
Argo Navis Limited (Argo Navis) was a New Zealand aerospace company, specialising in the development of innovative rocket propulsion systems for the space industry.
K-200 is a single-stage sounding rocket. Its primary objective is to test propulsion systems developed by Argo Navis, as well as to prove critical flight infrastructure and systems for future high-altitude launches.
HAB-1
Date granted: 10 October 2022
Owner or operator: Kea Aerospace Limited
Country of origin: New Zealand
Kea Aerospace Limited (Kea) is a New Zealand aerospace company, focused on stratospheric flight operation and aerial imaging.
HAB-1 is a series of stratospheric balloons. The primary objective of the balloons is to test components and systems intended to be used by the Kea Atmos high-altitude platform solar-powered aircraft, currently in development.
The first launch of an HAB-1 balloon was on 15 October 2022. The launch was successful and achieved Kea’s target of 80,000 feet.
Into the Black II and III
Date granted: 30 July 2020
Owner or operator: University of Canterbury Aerospace Club
Country of origin: New Zealand
The University of Canterbury Aerospace Club is a student-led club supported by the University Of Canterbury Department Of Mechanical Engineering.
Into the Black II and III are both 2 stage high-powered sounding rockets, built and designed by the students in the Aerospace Club. Each rocket has a Global Positioning System device in the nose cone to aid post-launch recovery.
Into the Black II and III aimed to break the world amateur 2 stage altitude record by reaching an altitude in excess of 120 km.
Into the Black II was successfully launched on 24 July 2021, although it did not break the amateur 2 stage world record.
Into the Black III was successfully launched on 22 January 2022. Communication with the rocket was lost so the maximum altitude was unable to be confirmed.
18 MCF SPB
Date granted: 23 March 2020
Owner or operator: NASA
Country of origin: United States
The primary objective of the NASA designed Super Pressure Balloon (SPB) ‘18 MCF SPB’ mission is to demonstrate the operational capability of an extended duration stratospheric balloon.
2 SPBs are covered under the high-altitude licence.
The outcomes of the mission were in support of NASA’s ongoing balloon development programme for scientific and technological investigations.
The first balloon launched successfully on April 15 2023. The second balloon launched on May 13 2023, however the flight ended on May 14 2023 due to system failure.
Into the Black
Date granted: 21 February 2019
Owner or operator: University of Canterbury Aerospace Club
Country of origin: New Zealand
The University of Canterbury Aerospace Club is a student-led club sponsored by the
Department of Mechanical Engineering.
Into the Black is a 3.46m, 2 stage high-powered sounding rocket. It was built and designed by students in the Aerospace Club. It has a GPS device in the nose cone to aid post-launch
recovery.
Into the Black aimed to break the world amateur 2 stage altitude record and the world altitude record by reaching an altitude of 120km.
The rocket was launched on 3 March 2019; however, the launch was unsuccessful due to a technical failure. On the request of the licence holder, the licence was revoked on 13 June 2019.