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Outer Space and High-altitude Activities Act 2017

Enforcement and other matters - Protection of sensitive space technology

64: Minister may declare debris protection area

You could also call this:

"The Minister can create a special protected area to keep space technology safe"

Illustration for Outer Space and High-altitude Activities Act 2017

The Minister can make an area a debris protection area if they think it's necessary to follow international rules about protecting special space technology. You might see signs around the area saying it's a debris protection area. This can happen if there's been a problem with a launch vehicle, like a crash, or if there's a space object that was involved in a problem like that.

If an area is a debris protection area, you're not allowed to take pictures, make sketches, or collect samples of anything there without permission from someone in charge. This rule doesn't apply to people who are investigating a crash as part of their job. If you're in a debris protection area and you're not supposed to be, someone in charge can tell you to leave.

If you don't leave when you're told to, the person in charge can use reasonable force to make you leave. If you still refuse to leave, you might be detained, which means you could be taken into custody. If this happens, you'll be taken to a constable as soon as possible. You can find more information about what happens if you refuse to comply with an order in section 75(2).

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM7224225.

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Part 3Enforcement and other matters
Protection of sensitive space technology

64Minister may declare debris protection area

  1. The Minister may exercise the power in this section only if the Minister is satisfied that it is necessary to do so in order to comply with any international agreement relating to the protection of sensitive space technology.

  2. The Minister may declare, by a sign or signs affixed at the perimeter of an area or by other appropriate notification, that the area is a debris protection area if the Minister is satisfied that it is—

  3. a site where a launch termination or an accident involving a launch vehicle has occurred; or
    1. a site on which there is a space object that has been involved in a launch termination or an accident involving a launch vehicle.

      1. No person may, without the permission of an enforcement officer or other authorised person,—

      2. take any photograph, make any sketch, plan, model, or note, or otherwise record any image of, or study, any launch vehicle, payload, component of a launch vehicle or payload, related equipment, or other debris that the person knows or ought to know is in a debris protection area; or
        1. take a sample of any thing referred to in paragraph (a) from an area that the person knows or ought to know is a debris protection area.

          1. Nothing in subsection (3) applies to any person who, in the exercise of a statutory function, is conducting an investigation into an accident involving a launch vehicle.

          2. An enforcement officer may order a person to leave a debris protection area if the enforcement officer has reasonable grounds to believe that the person is contravening subsection (3).

          3. An enforcement officer, and any person whom he or she calls to his or her assistance, may use such force as may be reasonably necessary to remove from any debris protection area any person who fails or refuses to leave the debris protection area immediately after having been ordered to do so under subsection (5).

          4. Any person who refuses to comply with an order under subsection (5) and, after having been warned that he or she commits an offence under section 75(2), persists in its commission may be detained by an enforcement officer or a constable.

          5. If a person is detained by an enforcement officer under subsection (7), the person must as soon as practicable be delivered to a constable.