WELLINGTON, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand and German agencies will work together on space related research, activities and technologies following the signing of an agreement at the 69th International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Germany's Bremen this week, a government statement said on Wednesday.
New Zealand's Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) and the German Aerospace Center have signed a Letter of Intent which will see the development of joint research on areas including space systems, earth observation, and transport and energy technologies, the government statement said.
MBIE houses the New Zealand Space Agency, the lead government agency for space policy, regulation and business development, and a number of staff have attended the IAC this week to meet with the international space ecosystem to discuss the rapid changes in the industry and the growth of commercial space activity worldwide, it said.
MBIE's general manager of Science, Innovation and International, Peter Crabtree, who leads the New Zealand Space Agency, said the agreement is another important step forward for the burgeoning Kiwi space sector.
"This new agreement offers an exciting opportunity to connect New Zealand's research institutions with world-leading space scientists and engineers in Germany, and greater support for the ongoing creation of a thriving New Zealand space sector," Crabtree said.
Satellite-based earth observation in particular is of growing importance to both countries, including for environmental protection, navigation, agriculture, and disaster risk-management, he said.
