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Outer Space and High-altitude Activities Act 2017

Licences and permits - Payload permits

15: Launch of payload from New Zealand requires payload permit

You could also call this:

"Launching something into space from New Zealand needs a special permit."

Illustration for Outer Space and High-altitude Activities Act 2017

If you want to launch a payload from New Zealand, you need to know some rules. You can launch a payload from a special place in New Zealand or from a vehicle that started in New Zealand. You must have a special permit called a payload permit to launch a payload and use it in outer space. This permit is needed whether you are launching the payload yourself or someone else is doing it for you.

If you are planning to launch a payload, you can still make plans and agreements before you get the permit. However, you must have the payload permit when the launch actually happens. You only need one permit for each payload, even if more than one person is involved in the launch.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM6966452.

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"The Minister can change or cancel a space launch permit for safety or security reasons."

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16: Application for payload permit, or

"Apply to launch something into space"

Part 2Licences and permits
Payload permits

15Launch of payload from New Zealand requires payload permit

  1. This section applies to the launch of a payload from—

  2. a launch facility in New Zealand; or
    1. a launch vehicle that was launched from a launch facility in New Zealand or a vehicle in the air that was launched from New Zealand.

      1. A person must not procure the launch of a payload unless the person has a payload permit for the launch of the payload and the operation of the payload in outer space.

      2. A person must not launch a payload unless the person, or a person procuring the launch of the payload, has a payload permit for the launch of the payload and the operation of the payload in outer space.

      3. Nothing in subsection (2) or (3) prevents a person entering into a contract for the launch of a payload or taking any other step prior to the launch provided a person has a payload permit for the launch of the payload at the time of the launch.

      4. Despite subsections (2) and (3), only 1 permit is needed in respect of a payload.