Te Pūnaha Ātea
Space Institute

The Space Institute – Te Pūnaha Ātea – is a multidisciplinary centre of expertise in space science and engineering, including a capability to execute space missions and develop applications. Our institutional mission is to create, disseminate and exploit knowledge to support and enhance the development of the New Zealand Space Sector.

We carry out applied research in space science, engineering, and applications of space data, as well as run educational activities that shape the next generation of scientists and engineers.

We work with national and international establishments, industrial partners and academic institutions, operating in an ecosystem that thrives thanks to the complementary nature of our activities. Working from original ideas, to modelling, to proof of concept (Manufacture, Assembly, Integration and Test), to in-orbit demonstrations, we apply research findings to develop engineering solutions that support the growth of new and existing enterprises.

Through our strategic partnerships, we have direct access to space that enables in-orbit demonstrations of technologies, and we are developing a multifunctional mission control capability to operate satellites and payloads, transforming raw data into useful information.

Our seamless end-to-end capability gives our students an exceptional learning experience, which, enhanced by our close partnerships with industry, puts them in a privileged position to meet the employment demands of a growing international aerospace sector.

Research

Spacecraft microvibrations
and stable structures
Deployable
structures
Correlation/validation of FEM
and virtual shaker testing
Synthetic aperture radar technology development
Plasma micro-propulsion 
Materials Science for
sample return
On-Orbit High Performance Computing
Synthetic protein crystallisation in microgravity
Magnetic thrust vectoring
Space situational awareness

News

  • Preliminary MethaneAIR data now available

    MethaneAIR will measure methane in the atmosphere, alongside MethaneSAT. MethaneAIR is specially equipped jet that has been measuring methane from oil and gas sources across North America. You can find the publicly available data here and read more about MethaneAIR here….Continue Reading Preliminary MethaneAIR data now available

  • Minister for Space- Judith Collins visits Te Pūnaha Ātea – Space Institute

    TPA-1, the first 3U cubesat from Aotearoa, New Zealand! 🛰 Whilst still on the ground, TPA-1 snapped this shot in our assembly facility with the Minister for Space, Hon Judith Collins KC , alongside our very own Guglielmo S. Aglietti and Ben Taylor. It was a pleasure to host the Minister for Space and her…Continue…

  • Spacecraft Operations- A chat with the people behind the screens of Mission Control

    Today, our Senior Operations engineer Vernon Lewis and our Junior Operations engineer Mahima Seth spoke to Alexia Russell from the newsroom. You can find the article here, along with a podcast featuring Vernon and Mahima, who talk about the upcoming MethaneSAT mission, which will be operated from the Mission Operations and Control Center (MOCC)….Continue Reading…