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Outer Space and High-altitude Activities Act 2017

Enforcement and other matters - Offences - Other offences

72: Interfering with launch vehicle or payload

You could also call this:

"Don't touch or take space vehicles or their cargo without permission"

Illustration for Outer Space and High-altitude Activities Act 2017

If you interfere with a launch vehicle or its payload without a good reason, you can get in trouble with the law. This includes taking, removing, using, or interfering with the vehicle, payload, or related equipment. You can also get in trouble if you receive any of these things that were taken or removed without permission.

If someone accuses you of interfering with a launch vehicle or payload, the court does not need to prove that you meant to do it. You can still be found guilty even if you did not intend to commit the offence.

If you intentionally take or remove a launch vehicle or payload to use or sell it for industrial or commercial purposes without a good reason, you can be charged with a more serious offence. If you are found guilty of this offence, you can face serious penalties, including imprisonment or a large fine, depending on whether you are an individual or a company.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM6966531.

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Business > Industry rulesCrime and justice > Criminal law
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Part 3Enforcement and other matters
Offences: Other offences

72Interfering with launch vehicle or payload

  1. A person commits an offence if the person, without lawful excuse,—

  2. takes, removes, uses, or interferes with—
    1. a launch vehicle, a payload, related equipment, or technical data; or
      1. debris of a launch vehicle, a payload, or related equipment; or
      2. receives a launch vehicle, a payload, related equipment, debris, or technical data that is taken or removed contrary to paragraph (a).

        1. In any prosecution for an offence against subsection (1), it is not necessary to prove that the defendant intended to commit the offence.

        2. A person commits an offence if the person, with the intention of using or disposing of it for an industrial or commercial purpose, intentionally and without lawful excuse,—

        3. takes, removes, uses, or interferes with—
          1. a launch vehicle, a payload, related equipment, or technical data; or
            1. debris of a launch vehicle, a payload, or related equipment; or
            2. receives a launch vehicle, a payload, related equipment, debris, or technical data that is taken or removed contrary to paragraph (a).

              1. A person who commits an offence against subsection (1) is liable on conviction,—

              2. in the case of an individual, to a fine not exceeding $1,000; or
                1. in the case of a body corporate, to a fine not exceeding $10,000.

                  1. A person who commits an offence against subsection (3) is liable on conviction,—

                  2. in the case of an individual, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years or a fine not exceeding $100,000, or both; or
                    1. in the case of a body corporate, to a fine not exceeding $500,000.