New Zealand space industry risks losing talent and investment to foreign rivals

Senior reporter·NZ Herald·4 Nov, 2026 04:00 PM5 mins to read‌The Government wants the local space industry to top $5 billion by 2030 – but the risks the sector faces from overseas rivals has been laid out in a top-level briefing. Photos / NZMENew Zealand’s burgeoning multibillion-dollar space industry could be partially grounded as foreign rivals – including some with lucrative backing from their respective governments – eye our leading tech talent. The warning comes in a wide-ranging briefing provided by officials from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) to the