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Outer Space and High-altitude Activities Act 2017

Licences and permits - Payload permits

18: Conditions, indemnity, and insurance relating to payload permit

You could also call this:

"Rules for people with a permit to launch something into space"

Illustration for Outer Space and High-altitude Activities Act 2017

If you have a payload permit, you must do certain things. You have to tell the Minister when and where you plan to launch a payload, and give details about the payload's path in space. You must also tell the Minister if anything changes with your permit or if the payload's path changes. You have to work with your payload in a way that does not harm the Earth or space, and that considers what others are doing in space. You must follow any rules the Minister makes, and any conditions in the regulations. The Minister can also ask you to protect the government from claims made against it, or to have insurance to cover certain risks. You can find more information about this in section 50 and section 51. You must do all these things to keep your permit and to make sure you are using space safely and responsibly.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM6966455.

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17: When payload permit may be granted, or

"When you can get a permit to launch something into space"

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19: Duration of payload permit, or

"How long a payload permit lasts"

Part 2Licences and permits
Payload permits

18Conditions, indemnity, and insurance relating to payload permit

  1. A permit holder must—

  2. provide to the Minister, in accordance with any prescribed requirements,—
    1. the date and location of each proposed launch of a payload under the permit; and
      1. details of the intended and actual basic orbital parameters (including the nodal period, inclination, apogee, and perigee) of the payload that reaches or is intended to reach outer space; and
        1. any prescribed information relating to each payload; and
        2. comply with any request by the Minister under section 50; and
          1. notify the Minister, in accordance with any prescribed requirements, if any of the following occurs:
            1. in a case where the Minister has advised the permit holder that the Minister treated a licence, permit, or other authorisation granted in a country other than New Zealand as satisfying any criteria under section 51, that licence, permit, or other authorisation changes, expires, or is revoked; or
              1. a payload under the permit that reaches outer space is no longer in earth orbit (unless the permit holder does not know, and could not reasonably know, that the payload is no longer in earth orbit); and
              2. conduct operations of each payload in a manner that—
                1. minimises the risk of contamination of outer space or adverse changes in the earth’s environment; and
                  1. takes into account the activities of others in the use of outer space; and
                    1. is consistent with New Zealand’s international obligations; and
                      1. avoids harmful interference with outer space and terrestrial radiocommunications; and
                      2. comply with any conditions prescribed by regulations relating to a payload; and
                        1. comply with any other conditions that the Minister considers necessary or desirable in order to—
                          1. give effect to New Zealand’s international obligations; or
                            1. protect national security or other national interests; or
                              1. ensure public safety; or
                                1. avoid potentially harmful interference with the activities of others in the peaceful exploration and use of outer space; or
                                  1. minimise the risk of contamination of outer space or adverse changes in the earth’s environment; or
                                    1. manage New Zealand’s potential liability under international law (including under the Liability Convention and the Outer Space Treaty).

                                    2. The Minister may require, as a condition of the permit, a permit holder to—

                                    3. indemnify the Crown in whole or in part against—
                                      1. any claim brought against the Crown under the Liability Convention or the Outer Space Treaty; or
                                        1. any other claim brought against the Crown under international law in relation to an act or omission of the permit holder under this Act; and
                                        2. hold insurance of a type and an amount (including a type and an amount calculated in a manner prescribed in regulations), and containing any provisions, specified by the Minister.