1 00:00:05,640 --> 00:00:08,720 Speaker 1: Kielda. I'm Chelsea Daniels and this is the Front Page, 2 00:00:09,119 --> 00:00:17,480 Speaker 1: a daily podcast presented by the New Zealand Herald. In 3 00:00:17,520 --> 00:00:22,480 Speaker 1: May seventeen, rocket Lab launched its first rocket into space. 4 00:00:23,160 --> 00:00:25,600 Speaker 1: Over the last seven years, the company has grown to 5 00:00:25,600 --> 00:00:29,960 Speaker 1: become a powerhouse in the global aerospace industry and has 6 00:00:30,040 --> 00:00:35,400 Speaker 1: driven the growth of New Zealand's space sector. The company's 7 00:00:35,479 --> 00:00:39,960 Speaker 1: astronomical success has seen founder Peter Beck receive a knighthood 8 00:00:40,280 --> 00:00:44,280 Speaker 1: in the recent King's Birthday Honors. Ahead of the company's 9 00:00:44,320 --> 00:00:48,080 Speaker 1: fiftieth launch, Beck joins us today on the Front Page 10 00:00:48,280 --> 00:00:51,800 Speaker 1: to discuss how far he plans the company to soar 11 00:00:52,320 --> 00:00:55,640 Speaker 1: and why the sky isn't the limit for New Zealand. 12 00:01:00,640 --> 00:01:03,320 Speaker 1: I believe that there's a congrats in order. Are you 13 00:01:03,360 --> 00:01:05,080 Speaker 1: making everyone call you sir Peter now? 14 00:01:05,920 --> 00:01:08,160 Speaker 2: Oh, Jesse, No, no, not at all, it's just peak. 15 00:01:08,160 --> 00:01:08,880 Speaker 2: Thanks very much. 16 00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:12,360 Speaker 1: And for those who may not know, I guess they've 17 00:01:12,360 --> 00:01:14,399 Speaker 1: been living under a rock. How would you explain what 18 00:01:14,520 --> 00:01:16,880 Speaker 1: rocket Lab does to someone on the street. 19 00:01:17,280 --> 00:01:20,959 Speaker 2: So we design and build and launch rockets and also 20 00:01:21,360 --> 00:01:25,119 Speaker 2: satellites and spacecraft. So we launch a little rocket called 21 00:01:25,280 --> 00:01:28,319 Speaker 2: Electron and it's now the second most frequently launched US 22 00:01:28,440 --> 00:01:31,280 Speaker 2: rocket in fact, the fourth most frequently launched rocket in 23 00:01:31,319 --> 00:01:35,360 Speaker 2: the world, and we built spacecraft ranging from little missions 24 00:01:35,440 --> 00:01:39,080 Speaker 2: through to very large national security missions and even missions 25 00:01:39,080 --> 00:01:39,600 Speaker 2: to Mars. 26 00:01:39,800 --> 00:01:43,000 Speaker 1: And you take it through from the design and obviously 27 00:01:43,280 --> 00:01:46,520 Speaker 1: working out the components stage right through to the launch. 28 00:01:46,560 --> 00:01:47,840 Speaker 1: That's pretty spectacular. 29 00:01:48,040 --> 00:01:50,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, So we're very unique in the fact that, you know, 30 00:01:50,200 --> 00:01:52,920 Speaker 2: we started off obviously in launching rockets, but now we 31 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:57,240 Speaker 2: are a multinational end to end space company. So we'll 32 00:01:57,280 --> 00:02:00,200 Speaker 2: design a satellite for somebody, we'll launch a satellite for somebody, 33 00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:03,600 Speaker 2: will even operate that satellite, so we have the keys, 34 00:02:03,880 --> 00:02:04,880 Speaker 2: the tools, and then the. 35 00:02:04,840 --> 00:02:09,799 Speaker 1: Service that no time to lose mission? Am I pronouncing 36 00:02:09,840 --> 00:02:10,320 Speaker 1: that right? 37 00:02:10,720 --> 00:02:13,320 Speaker 2: No time to lose? So we always have a little 38 00:02:13,360 --> 00:02:15,720 Speaker 2: bit of a play on the names. The rocket industry 39 00:02:15,760 --> 00:02:18,359 Speaker 2: is an incredibly serious industry, so we like to have 40 00:02:18,880 --> 00:02:19,880 Speaker 2: just a little bit of fun. 41 00:02:20,520 --> 00:02:23,920 Speaker 1: N No Time to Loose mission is scheduled to launch 42 00:02:23,919 --> 00:02:28,280 Speaker 1: from Rocket Lab Launch Complex one today, June nineteenth. This 43 00:02:28,400 --> 00:02:32,320 Speaker 1: mission puts you on track to reach fifty launches faster 44 00:02:32,520 --> 00:02:35,920 Speaker 1: than any other company in history. How significance is. 45 00:02:35,840 --> 00:02:38,239 Speaker 2: That, I think I think it's quite significant. Really, I mean, 46 00:02:38,320 --> 00:02:40,959 Speaker 2: everybody sees the rocket. But I guess what is less 47 00:02:40,960 --> 00:02:43,600 Speaker 2: obvious is all of the infrastructure and everything behind it. 48 00:02:43,680 --> 00:02:46,359 Speaker 2: And you know, it's well understood that your first rocket 49 00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:49,640 Speaker 2: is really really hard. Your twentieth rocket is like twenty 50 00:02:49,680 --> 00:02:52,280 Speaker 2: times harder than your first rocket because you have to 51 00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:55,760 Speaker 2: be in full production at that point. So reaching a 52 00:02:55,800 --> 00:02:58,800 Speaker 2: milestone of fifty flights, not many rockets have launched as 53 00:02:58,800 --> 00:03:01,640 Speaker 2: many as fifty times, let alone to do it the fastest, 54 00:03:01,800 --> 00:03:03,960 Speaker 2: I think a real testament to the team and to 55 00:03:04,040 --> 00:03:04,560 Speaker 2: the company. 56 00:03:04,639 --> 00:03:06,680 Speaker 1: And what we're talking about today is a French company, 57 00:03:06,720 --> 00:03:09,360 Speaker 1: isn't it in terms of there's no time to lose mission? 58 00:03:09,480 --> 00:03:10,520 Speaker 1: What are they launching? 59 00:03:10,760 --> 00:03:13,000 Speaker 2: So they have a number of spacecraft. So this is 60 00:03:13,000 --> 00:03:15,560 Speaker 2: a first of five missions for us, and it's a 61 00:03:15,600 --> 00:03:19,680 Speaker 2: constellation of spacecraft, and each one of those launches is 62 00:03:19,720 --> 00:03:23,679 Speaker 2: going to a very specific plane, and each one of 63 00:03:23,720 --> 00:03:26,600 Speaker 2: those five launches delivers them to all those different planes. 64 00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:29,200 Speaker 1: And what do they use that for? Like, how do 65 00:03:29,360 --> 00:03:31,880 Speaker 1: companies use that technology? Now that's in all bit. 66 00:03:32,040 --> 00:03:34,000 Speaker 2: Look, I'll give you a great example of two missions 67 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:36,800 Speaker 2: we just launched FANASA in fact, and those two missions 68 00:03:36,800 --> 00:03:39,520 Speaker 2: were to measure the temperature radiating out of the South 69 00:03:39,560 --> 00:03:43,480 Speaker 2: and North Pole simultaneously, and by measuring that temperature, you 70 00:03:43,560 --> 00:03:46,080 Speaker 2: can determine how fast dice is melting and also the 71 00:03:46,080 --> 00:03:49,200 Speaker 2: sea rise and might surprise everybody that there is no 72 00:03:49,280 --> 00:03:52,720 Speaker 2: validated analytical model of sea rise. So you know, those 73 00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:56,280 Speaker 2: two satellites are providing the first actual data that we 74 00:03:56,360 --> 00:03:59,960 Speaker 2: have to measure it in any level of complexity. And look, 75 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:02,440 Speaker 2: this is just a couple of fifty missions, right, And 76 00:04:02,640 --> 00:04:05,440 Speaker 2: you know there's a tremendous number of missions, whether it 77 00:04:05,640 --> 00:04:08,120 Speaker 2: be you know, science missions of climate change, missions like that, 78 00:04:09,160 --> 00:04:12,000 Speaker 2: missions for national security, or you know, we went to 79 00:04:12,040 --> 00:04:15,480 Speaker 2: the Moon two years ago, so really a huge span 80 00:04:15,560 --> 00:04:16,640 Speaker 2: of missions. 81 00:04:16,880 --> 00:04:19,559 Speaker 1: Just casually chucking in there that you've gone to the moon. 82 00:04:20,839 --> 00:04:21,359 Speaker 2: I like that. 83 00:04:21,560 --> 00:04:24,360 Speaker 1: And I guess if we go back a few years 84 00:04:24,400 --> 00:04:28,120 Speaker 1: when you first launched rocket Lab in two thousand and six, 85 00:04:28,720 --> 00:04:31,360 Speaker 1: so to speak, did people think you were mental? 86 00:04:31,720 --> 00:04:35,479 Speaker 2: Well, there's certainly some questions asked, that's for sure. It 87 00:04:35,520 --> 00:04:39,039 Speaker 2: seemed an unlikely place to begin, I guess. But you know, 88 00:04:39,560 --> 00:04:41,359 Speaker 2: my dream as a kid was always to go and 89 00:04:41,360 --> 00:04:44,599 Speaker 2: work for NASA. That was the dream. And I got 90 00:04:44,640 --> 00:04:47,440 Speaker 2: to see that dream out, but in a slightly different way. 91 00:04:47,480 --> 00:04:49,880 Speaker 2: In the fact that we get to work with NASA 92 00:04:49,960 --> 00:04:52,080 Speaker 2: on a bunch of missions. So I got to work 93 00:04:52,120 --> 00:04:57,520 Speaker 2: with NASA rather than work in NASA. Yeah, so unlikely beginnings. 94 00:04:57,520 --> 00:05:00,200 Speaker 2: But you know, I've always said that New Zealanders full 95 00:05:00,200 --> 00:05:04,320 Speaker 2: of incredibly talented and bright engineers, and really in this game, 96 00:05:04,320 --> 00:05:05,120 Speaker 2: that's what it takes. 97 00:05:05,400 --> 00:05:07,720 Speaker 1: And I know that we've got the launch point down 98 00:05:07,760 --> 00:05:11,279 Speaker 1: in Mahia Peninsula. I know that you've faced backlash with 99 00:05:11,360 --> 00:05:17,320 Speaker 1: locals in the past about that launch site. 100 00:05:16,600 --> 00:05:19,400 Speaker 3: On the outskirts of Mahya. A group of locals opposed 101 00:05:19,440 --> 00:05:22,520 Speaker 3: to Rocket Labs operations have set up a small protest 102 00:05:22,920 --> 00:05:25,839 Speaker 3: that was a recent payload for the US military that 103 00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:30,159 Speaker 3: galvanized as simmering discontent among some in the community. 104 00:05:30,800 --> 00:05:34,280 Speaker 4: Originally, I thought it was going to be a wonderful idea. 105 00:05:34,440 --> 00:05:39,000 Speaker 4: I thought that our babies can aspire to be rocket scientists. 106 00:05:39,040 --> 00:05:41,760 Speaker 4: But I've seen now that this is a big company 107 00:05:42,160 --> 00:05:45,520 Speaker 4: that is never going to put our needs. 108 00:05:44,279 --> 00:05:51,480 Speaker 1: For where's the relationship now at between Rocket Lab and 109 00:05:51,480 --> 00:05:53,640 Speaker 1: those locals after fifty launches? 110 00:05:53,720 --> 00:05:55,880 Speaker 2: Now, yeah, I think it needs that needs to be 111 00:05:55,920 --> 00:05:58,360 Speaker 2: put in a little bit of context. I think, you know, 112 00:05:58,600 --> 00:06:01,120 Speaker 2: we have a wonderful relationship down in that community, and 113 00:06:01,120 --> 00:06:02,880 Speaker 2: in fact, a lot of that community is filled with 114 00:06:02,960 --> 00:06:06,360 Speaker 2: rock and lab people. And yeah, like anything, there's always 115 00:06:06,360 --> 00:06:08,280 Speaker 2: people that aren't supportive of it. So I think it's 116 00:06:08,320 --> 00:06:10,880 Speaker 2: an extreme view to say, you know, Tara whole community 117 00:06:10,880 --> 00:06:12,880 Speaker 2: with a few So, yeah, there's a few people that 118 00:06:12,960 --> 00:06:16,120 Speaker 2: don't enjoy what we do, but you know, we have 119 00:06:16,160 --> 00:06:20,279 Speaker 2: a vast majority of strong community support and the relationship 120 00:06:20,279 --> 00:06:23,279 Speaker 2: has always been great. You know, when we when we 121 00:06:23,320 --> 00:06:26,200 Speaker 2: first started to look for launch sites, I remember meeting, 122 00:06:26,640 --> 00:06:30,320 Speaker 2: you know, the representative of the landowners, you know, because 123 00:06:30,320 --> 00:06:33,760 Speaker 2: it's it's it's obviously Mari land, and they were looking 124 00:06:33,760 --> 00:06:37,680 Speaker 2: to diversify out of farming. And you know, they diversified 125 00:06:37,720 --> 00:06:40,479 Speaker 2: it out of farming very successfully and of course both 126 00:06:40,480 --> 00:06:44,000 Speaker 2: successfully and in many ways, including financially. And you know, 127 00:06:44,040 --> 00:06:47,000 Speaker 2: I think nobody expected the diversification to come in in 128 00:06:47,040 --> 00:06:49,800 Speaker 2: the terms of rockets, but nevertheless, you know, it's been 129 00:06:49,800 --> 00:06:51,839 Speaker 2: a it's been a great and continue to be a 130 00:06:51,839 --> 00:06:52,680 Speaker 2: great partnership. 131 00:06:52,960 --> 00:06:55,760 Speaker 1: Do you see any other parts of New Zealand that 132 00:06:56,279 --> 00:07:00,960 Speaker 1: could diversify like Mahia Peninsula has to the space sector. 133 00:07:01,200 --> 00:07:03,440 Speaker 2: Well, look, I mean the space industry isn't just launch 134 00:07:03,520 --> 00:07:05,640 Speaker 2: In fact, you know, two thirds of their business is 135 00:07:05,680 --> 00:07:10,480 Speaker 2: building satellites in spacecraft and that's kind of geographically agnostic. 136 00:07:10,960 --> 00:07:13,320 Speaker 2: And there's some great startups actually in New Zealand now, 137 00:07:13,640 --> 00:07:16,200 Speaker 2: great space startups, and we're really started to see an 138 00:07:16,240 --> 00:07:19,720 Speaker 2: ecosystem build, which is super exciting. So I think New 139 00:07:19,800 --> 00:07:22,880 Speaker 2: Zealand can contribute in the space industry. You know, like 140 00:07:22,920 --> 00:07:25,480 Speaker 2: I say, launch Away steals the show, but does a 141 00:07:25,520 --> 00:07:29,000 Speaker 2: tremendous amount of opportunity across the whole space sector. And 142 00:07:29,000 --> 00:07:31,120 Speaker 2: you're starting to see a number of little startups and 143 00:07:31,720 --> 00:07:33,400 Speaker 2: in even traditional companies play. 144 00:07:33,720 --> 00:07:36,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's quite exciting to see. Hey, we've spoken to 145 00:07:36,640 --> 00:07:41,040 Speaker 1: Space Minister Judith Collins just after she was overseas promoting 146 00:07:41,120 --> 00:07:44,760 Speaker 1: New Zealand space industry in the US. She told us 147 00:07:44,800 --> 00:07:47,440 Speaker 1: and New Zealand was number four last year in the 148 00:07:47,520 --> 00:07:51,040 Speaker 1: number of launches worldwide, after the US, Russia, and China. 149 00:07:51,360 --> 00:07:52,440 Speaker 1: How incredible was that? 150 00:07:52,760 --> 00:07:55,040 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think I look as a proud TV I 151 00:07:55,080 --> 00:07:58,680 Speaker 2: think it's wonderful. And she's right, like America launches the 152 00:07:58,680 --> 00:08:01,320 Speaker 2: most amount of rockets, and it's China, then it's Russia, 153 00:08:01,360 --> 00:08:03,960 Speaker 2: and then it's the Maha Peninsula, then it's Europe and 154 00:08:04,160 --> 00:08:06,200 Speaker 2: in the air and so on and so forth. So no, 155 00:08:06,360 --> 00:08:09,160 Speaker 2: I think it's awesome and it shows where New Zealand 156 00:08:09,280 --> 00:08:11,760 Speaker 2: kind of sits in ranks in the international industry and 157 00:08:12,120 --> 00:08:13,240 Speaker 2: such a short amount of time. 158 00:08:13,520 --> 00:08:15,960 Speaker 1: Are you excited to see the real possibilities for New 159 00:08:16,040 --> 00:08:17,800 Speaker 1: Zealand when it comes to space. 160 00:08:18,280 --> 00:08:20,720 Speaker 2: Absolutely. I mean it's exactly the kind of thing that 161 00:08:20,720 --> 00:08:22,960 Speaker 2: New Zealand does really well, and that's kind of testament 162 00:08:23,040 --> 00:08:25,920 Speaker 2: to our success and been able to be successful in 163 00:08:25,920 --> 00:08:29,680 Speaker 2: scale in New Zealand and New Zealand, as I said before, 164 00:08:29,760 --> 00:08:34,120 Speaker 2: are incredibly smart. People, were very innovative and the ability 165 00:08:34,160 --> 00:08:37,280 Speaker 2: to kind of move across multiple functions and disciplines, which 166 00:08:37,360 --> 00:08:40,320 Speaker 2: is really important in space industry. So no, I look, 167 00:08:40,440 --> 00:08:42,839 Speaker 2: we've already seen a bunch of Rocket Lab has spin 168 00:08:42,920 --> 00:08:45,560 Speaker 2: out and start their own ventures, which I absolutely applaud 169 00:08:46,080 --> 00:08:49,439 Speaker 2: and support. Long may that continue. I think there's this 170 00:08:49,480 --> 00:08:52,480 Speaker 2: tremendous opportunity and it's one of those things that every 171 00:08:52,520 --> 00:08:55,880 Speaker 2: country has recognized the value of space and investing deeply 172 00:08:55,920 --> 00:08:58,679 Speaker 2: in it. I mean, it's kind of like the other AI. 173 00:08:59,000 --> 00:09:02,080 Speaker 2: I mean, there's Ais obviously the talk of all the conversations, 174 00:09:02,080 --> 00:09:04,839 Speaker 2: but equally, you know something that is scaling just as 175 00:09:04,880 --> 00:09:05,800 Speaker 2: fast as space. 176 00:09:16,320 --> 00:09:18,440 Speaker 1: And it also seems like a lot of millionaires and 177 00:09:18,520 --> 00:09:21,680 Speaker 1: billionaires around the world are investing in space, like you've 178 00:09:21,679 --> 00:09:25,200 Speaker 1: got Jeff Bezos, elon Masker, Richard Branson. Do you think 179 00:09:25,240 --> 00:09:28,440 Speaker 1: that more money should be invested in tackling I guess 180 00:09:28,800 --> 00:09:32,160 Speaker 1: climate change and issues on this planet rather than exploring 181 00:09:32,160 --> 00:09:32,800 Speaker 1: out of space. 182 00:09:32,840 --> 00:09:35,199 Speaker 2: I guess, well, I mean, yeah, it's two points. There 183 00:09:35,280 --> 00:09:37,679 Speaker 2: is one. You know, we often joke at two BIX 184 00:09:37,720 --> 00:09:40,800 Speaker 2: competitors are actually the two wealthiest people on this planet. 185 00:09:41,720 --> 00:09:44,440 Speaker 2: And for us, we don't have infinite capital, so we 186 00:09:44,520 --> 00:09:47,520 Speaker 2: have to be very smart and we model ourselves after 187 00:09:47,559 --> 00:09:50,920 Speaker 2: a famous Ernest Rutherford saying it, and that was he said, 188 00:09:50,960 --> 00:09:52,800 Speaker 2: we have no money, so we therefore we have to 189 00:09:52,840 --> 00:09:55,920 Speaker 2: think and like I say, we definitely have that as 190 00:09:56,480 --> 00:09:59,559 Speaker 2: the shining light within the company. But look, it's very 191 00:09:59,559 --> 00:10:02,600 Speaker 2: easy to focus on that as a narrative. But all 192 00:10:02,600 --> 00:10:04,840 Speaker 2: of the things that we use down on here on 193 00:10:04,880 --> 00:10:07,000 Speaker 2: Earth or so many of the things are enabled by 194 00:10:07,000 --> 00:10:11,559 Speaker 2: space and these technologies. Because they're hidden, people don't realize 195 00:10:11,559 --> 00:10:14,679 Speaker 2: how much they use them. GPS is the easy example 196 00:10:14,720 --> 00:10:17,000 Speaker 2: to call out, right, I mean, if we switched off 197 00:10:17,040 --> 00:10:20,520 Speaker 2: the GPS constellation tomorrow. You know, not only it's kind 198 00:10:20,520 --> 00:10:22,840 Speaker 2: of inconvenient when you want to use your phone to 199 00:10:22,840 --> 00:10:25,480 Speaker 2: get somewhere, but all of the other companies and systems 200 00:10:25,480 --> 00:10:29,120 Speaker 2: that are enabled by GPS stop like you know, aircraft navigation, 201 00:10:29,200 --> 00:10:32,400 Speaker 2: shipping navigation, whether or not your pizza turns up. You 202 00:10:32,600 --> 00:10:34,960 Speaker 2: go on and on and on, so that there's so 203 00:10:35,000 --> 00:10:38,000 Speaker 2: many things that people just don't realize are enabled by space. 204 00:10:38,280 --> 00:10:40,839 Speaker 2: And the more infrastructure that we can put in orbit, 205 00:10:41,240 --> 00:10:44,080 Speaker 2: the more improvement of life and improvement of capabilities you 206 00:10:44,080 --> 00:10:46,880 Speaker 2: can have down on here on Earth. And with respect 207 00:10:46,880 --> 00:10:49,760 Speaker 2: to climate change, I mean, we just launched two spacecraft 208 00:10:49,800 --> 00:10:52,760 Speaker 2: that are going to provide some of the most valuable 209 00:10:52,840 --> 00:10:55,160 Speaker 2: data and in climate change in a long time. 210 00:10:55,360 --> 00:10:59,160 Speaker 1: I've seen some conversations online around the kind of rivalry 211 00:10:59,200 --> 00:11:03,000 Speaker 1: I guess between Lab and space X. Obviously there are 212 00:11:03,000 --> 00:11:06,120 Speaker 1: a few competitors in the field. Is that kind of 213 00:11:06,240 --> 00:11:10,120 Speaker 1: like a Holden versus Ford kind of rivalry. I don't know, 214 00:11:10,200 --> 00:11:12,480 Speaker 1: I'm trying to context your lightst Yeah. 215 00:11:12,600 --> 00:11:15,280 Speaker 2: No, Look, look I don't actually think it's a rivalry. 216 00:11:15,280 --> 00:11:16,840 Speaker 2: I mean, we all know each other and we will 217 00:11:16,880 --> 00:11:19,600 Speaker 2: respect each other for what each other has achieved. And 218 00:11:20,120 --> 00:11:22,160 Speaker 2: the one thing I'll say about the space industry is 219 00:11:22,200 --> 00:11:26,400 Speaker 2: that it's so immensely difficult to do that. When you 220 00:11:26,440 --> 00:11:29,560 Speaker 2: were able to achieve something, everybody else is able to go, Well, 221 00:11:29,600 --> 00:11:33,000 Speaker 2: that was really hard. And respect each brother's for each contribution. 222 00:11:33,200 --> 00:11:37,760 Speaker 2: So certainly we compete for contracts and for customers and 223 00:11:37,800 --> 00:11:40,000 Speaker 2: all of that, but it's a unique industry. At the 224 00:11:40,080 --> 00:11:42,240 Speaker 2: end of the day, when why someone else does something 225 00:11:42,440 --> 00:11:45,200 Speaker 2: truly amazing, all of the competitors are the first to 226 00:11:45,240 --> 00:11:47,880 Speaker 2: congratulate them. So it's unique in that sense. 227 00:11:52,360 --> 00:11:55,439 Speaker 5: Elon Musk's space x is leading the rocket launch market 228 00:11:55,480 --> 00:11:58,160 Speaker 5: here in the US, but one wizard investment bank or 229 00:11:58,200 --> 00:12:01,520 Speaker 5: warning that it's monopoly could well chalk this sector, and 230 00:12:01,600 --> 00:12:03,240 Speaker 5: it'squalt huge concern. 231 00:12:03,640 --> 00:12:05,280 Speaker 1: We do see other companies rising. 232 00:12:05,320 --> 00:12:08,240 Speaker 2: We see companies like rocket Lab, which I think is 233 00:12:08,280 --> 00:12:13,280 Speaker 2: going to ever ever more be on their heels. 234 00:12:15,679 --> 00:12:18,200 Speaker 1: And speaking of contracts, you've also signed a lot of 235 00:12:18,200 --> 00:12:21,559 Speaker 1: contracts with the US military, notably the half a billion 236 00:12:21,600 --> 00:12:25,120 Speaker 1: dollar contractor built eighteen space vehicles that was announced in 237 00:12:25,200 --> 00:12:28,600 Speaker 1: December last year. How much of rocket Lab's business now 238 00:12:28,640 --> 00:12:32,680 Speaker 1: comes from that US military and the wider defense relationship. 239 00:12:32,960 --> 00:12:34,800 Speaker 2: So to give your listens kind of some context in 240 00:12:35,040 --> 00:12:37,920 Speaker 2: the company. So it's about two thousand people in rocket Lab. 241 00:12:38,040 --> 00:12:40,840 Speaker 2: We have five different business units and five different states 242 00:12:40,840 --> 00:12:44,840 Speaker 2: in the US, one in Canada as well. And two 243 00:12:44,880 --> 00:12:48,440 Speaker 2: thirds of the business is focused towards space systems, so 244 00:12:48,600 --> 00:12:51,319 Speaker 2: that's you know, spacecraft and satellites, and one third of 245 00:12:51,360 --> 00:12:54,040 Speaker 2: the business is sort of focused on launch. And then 246 00:12:54,440 --> 00:12:57,480 Speaker 2: across the business about fifty percent of the business is 247 00:12:57,880 --> 00:13:01,360 Speaker 2: direct commercial, and then fifty center the business is kind 248 00:13:01,400 --> 00:13:05,319 Speaker 2: of government, and then that breaks up into defense and 249 00:13:05,400 --> 00:13:10,320 Speaker 2: also civil kind of work, meaning NASA, NOAH and the 250 00:13:10,360 --> 00:13:12,680 Speaker 2: government agencies that are non defense. 251 00:13:13,280 --> 00:13:18,400 Speaker 1: In terms of those defense relationships, I guess would work 252 00:13:18,480 --> 00:13:22,240 Speaker 1: be done in New Zealand's backyard when it comes to. 253 00:13:22,200 --> 00:13:25,960 Speaker 2: That, well, we certainly have launched defense customers. And you know, 254 00:13:26,000 --> 00:13:28,199 Speaker 2: the way that works is in order for us to 255 00:13:28,240 --> 00:13:31,240 Speaker 2: launch anything, there has to be a New Zealand launch 256 00:13:31,320 --> 00:13:34,600 Speaker 2: license granted, and it's actually granted by a minister, you know, 257 00:13:34,640 --> 00:13:38,679 Speaker 2: and there's a very very strict process that's applied through there, 258 00:13:38,720 --> 00:13:42,240 Speaker 2: including national interest tests, and it has to be signed 259 00:13:42,240 --> 00:13:45,679 Speaker 2: off by a whole bunch of government or organizations. So 260 00:13:45,960 --> 00:13:47,640 Speaker 2: you know, if a customer wants to launch out of 261 00:13:47,679 --> 00:13:49,599 Speaker 2: New Zealand. A defense customer wants to launch out of 262 00:13:49,600 --> 00:13:52,640 Speaker 2: New Zealand, then it's a New Zealand government that decides 263 00:13:52,679 --> 00:13:55,480 Speaker 2: whether or not that launches in the interest of all 264 00:13:55,480 --> 00:13:57,800 Speaker 2: of our values, all of our treaties and all of 265 00:13:57,840 --> 00:14:00,839 Speaker 2: those all of those things, and what we've launched a 266 00:14:00,880 --> 00:14:05,960 Speaker 2: data have been R and D platforms and experiments in 267 00:14:06,000 --> 00:14:08,080 Speaker 2: those kinds of things. And you know, as a company, 268 00:14:08,320 --> 00:14:11,200 Speaker 2: we have our own beliefs and rules, and you know, 269 00:14:11,320 --> 00:14:14,320 Speaker 2: we certainly don't do weapons and all those kinds of things. 270 00:14:14,360 --> 00:14:18,480 Speaker 2: But the reality is that space is it's called a 271 00:14:18,559 --> 00:14:22,120 Speaker 2: dual system kind of domain. GPS satellites we use an 272 00:14:22,160 --> 00:14:25,600 Speaker 2: example again, like all of our commercial products and things 273 00:14:26,080 --> 00:14:28,840 Speaker 2: are kind of enabled by GPS, but GPS is a 274 00:14:28,880 --> 00:14:32,200 Speaker 2: one hundred percent US government owned and operated military asset 275 00:14:32,840 --> 00:14:35,320 Speaker 2: in space. So there's a lot of dual use that 276 00:14:35,680 --> 00:14:38,200 Speaker 2: goes on between these things in orbit. 277 00:14:38,520 --> 00:14:40,800 Speaker 1: That's really interesting that the government has such a hand on, 278 00:14:41,040 --> 00:14:45,040 Speaker 1: especially those defense relationships. Basically, you're not down there chucking 279 00:14:45,080 --> 00:14:48,120 Speaker 1: up anything you want into the atmosphere. And I guess 280 00:14:48,320 --> 00:14:51,160 Speaker 1: in that sense it would be quite a process if 281 00:14:51,200 --> 00:14:54,880 Speaker 1: the US military, say wanted to ever engage in nuclear 282 00:14:55,040 --> 00:14:58,360 Speaker 1: related launchers on New Zealand soil, for example, Well, that 283 00:14:58,400 --> 00:14:59,440 Speaker 1: simply wouldn't be possible. 284 00:14:59,480 --> 00:15:02,280 Speaker 2: I mean, like I say, there is a whole process 285 00:15:02,280 --> 00:15:05,320 Speaker 2: that goes through many, many different departments and hands and 286 00:15:05,320 --> 00:15:07,640 Speaker 2: it's signed off by a minister. So that just simply 287 00:15:07,840 --> 00:15:10,520 Speaker 2: would not be possible because I mean it would be 288 00:15:10,560 --> 00:15:13,320 Speaker 2: in conflict with New Zealand's own rules and regulations and 289 00:15:13,360 --> 00:15:14,320 Speaker 2: international treaties. 290 00:15:14,360 --> 00:15:17,280 Speaker 1: So, Peter, with the government touting its success in the 291 00:15:17,400 --> 00:15:21,240 Speaker 1: space industry here rightly, so, is there anything more that 292 00:15:21,440 --> 00:15:24,160 Speaker 1: could be done or should be done to support New 293 00:15:24,240 --> 00:15:27,760 Speaker 1: Zealand space industry or are you satisfied with how things 294 00:15:27,880 --> 00:15:30,520 Speaker 1: are privately run without the government support or intervention at 295 00:15:30,520 --> 00:15:30,960 Speaker 1: the moment. 296 00:15:31,400 --> 00:15:33,600 Speaker 2: No, I think the Space Agency definitely has a role 297 00:15:33,640 --> 00:15:36,360 Speaker 2: to play. If you look at NASA as a space agency. 298 00:15:36,520 --> 00:15:40,160 Speaker 2: So fifty percent of NASA's kind of role or remit 299 00:15:40,200 --> 00:15:44,000 Speaker 2: if you will, is to fund human spaceflight and fund 300 00:15:44,160 --> 00:15:47,760 Speaker 2: scientific missions and discovery and all of that. The other 301 00:15:47,800 --> 00:15:52,400 Speaker 2: fifty percent is to inspire people to pursue careers in 302 00:15:52,600 --> 00:15:56,720 Speaker 2: STEM and higher education and things like that. And this 303 00:15:56,760 --> 00:15:59,600 Speaker 2: is where space has a kind of an almost outsized 304 00:15:59,640 --> 00:16:02,240 Speaker 2: hand to play. Because you know, we do a lot 305 00:16:02,240 --> 00:16:04,280 Speaker 2: of kind of community where it can. We've done a 306 00:16:04,280 --> 00:16:07,600 Speaker 2: lot of school visits and things like that, and you 307 00:16:07,640 --> 00:16:10,720 Speaker 2: can take the most disengaged kids sitting at the back 308 00:16:10,720 --> 00:16:13,440 Speaker 2: of the room and give them something that's been to orbit, 309 00:16:13,600 --> 00:16:15,520 Speaker 2: that they've held in their hands, it's been to space, 310 00:16:15,560 --> 00:16:19,640 Speaker 2: and watch their eyes sparkle. So it has the ability 311 00:16:19,680 --> 00:16:22,360 Speaker 2: to reach people in a totally different people and I 312 00:16:22,360 --> 00:16:25,160 Speaker 2: think that's where you know, space agencies in the New 313 00:16:25,200 --> 00:16:28,400 Speaker 2: Zealand Space Agency has a really important role to play 314 00:16:28,480 --> 00:16:30,760 Speaker 2: and look great, if they want to come and work 315 00:16:30,760 --> 00:16:33,280 Speaker 2: for us at rocket Lab, we've got hundreds of jobs opening, 316 00:16:33,360 --> 00:16:36,120 Speaker 2: that'd be great. But equally well, if it inspires them 317 00:16:36,160 --> 00:16:38,560 Speaker 2: to go into a mathematical career or in you know, 318 00:16:38,760 --> 00:16:42,480 Speaker 2: computer science or whatever, then I think that's exactly what 319 00:16:42,520 --> 00:16:44,600 Speaker 2: we need to be convincing our kids to can't do. 320 00:16:44,920 --> 00:16:49,840 Speaker 1: Oh, there's absolutely a question that space is cool, everyone thinks. 321 00:16:49,880 --> 00:16:54,080 Speaker 1: So looking to the future, what are you most excited 322 00:16:54,080 --> 00:16:56,640 Speaker 1: about in the space industry and is there anything that 323 00:16:56,760 --> 00:16:59,400 Speaker 1: you want to see rocket Lab doing? I guess you know, 324 00:16:59,600 --> 00:17:02,720 Speaker 1: a man commission to Mars or reach for the stars. 325 00:17:03,160 --> 00:17:05,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, so you know there's a couple of things there. 326 00:17:05,480 --> 00:17:09,359 Speaker 2: So one, I'm very passionate about interplanetary and interplanetary science. 327 00:17:09,880 --> 00:17:13,760 Speaker 2: So you know, we have two satellites that are headed 328 00:17:13,800 --> 00:17:16,639 Speaker 2: to Mars at the the end of this year Vanessa 329 00:17:16,960 --> 00:17:20,960 Speaker 2: to measure a whole lot of magnetic field information and 330 00:17:21,800 --> 00:17:25,480 Speaker 2: data around around the Red planet. So you know, the 331 00:17:25,520 --> 00:17:27,639 Speaker 2: findings of that are going to be not only just 332 00:17:28,000 --> 00:17:30,840 Speaker 2: enormous to understand Mars, but also how you know, how 333 00:17:31,040 --> 00:17:33,120 Speaker 2: how Mars ended up, how it was, which we can 334 00:17:33,160 --> 00:17:38,000 Speaker 2: then use to help Earth. But those interplanetary missions are 335 00:17:38,000 --> 00:17:40,919 Speaker 2: something pretty special and I love to do those. But 336 00:17:41,000 --> 00:17:42,480 Speaker 2: as a as a as a as a kind of 337 00:17:42,520 --> 00:17:44,200 Speaker 2: where we'll be at in the next sort of five 338 00:17:44,240 --> 00:17:46,359 Speaker 2: to ten years and where we want to be. What 339 00:17:46,359 --> 00:17:48,359 Speaker 2: we're trying to build here is a very unique end 340 00:17:48,400 --> 00:17:52,000 Speaker 2: to end space company. So generally, you know, you're just 341 00:17:52,000 --> 00:17:54,960 Speaker 2: a launch company, or you're just a satellite company, or 342 00:17:55,000 --> 00:17:58,040 Speaker 2: sometimes you're just a services company. What we're trying to 343 00:17:58,040 --> 00:18:02,080 Speaker 2: build here is something there where it's completely end to end. 344 00:18:02,280 --> 00:18:04,879 Speaker 2: So a customer can come to us, or a government 345 00:18:04,880 --> 00:18:06,879 Speaker 2: can come to us and say, you know, there's the 346 00:18:06,880 --> 00:18:09,399 Speaker 2: only government can come to us and say, hey, we 347 00:18:09,560 --> 00:18:13,400 Speaker 2: need to look for illegal fisheries over the sub Antarctic, 348 00:18:14,080 --> 00:18:16,480 Speaker 2: and we just provide out of the service. They don't 349 00:18:16,520 --> 00:18:19,960 Speaker 2: need to become world experts in satellite construction and operation 350 00:18:20,160 --> 00:18:23,879 Speaker 2: and selecting launch vehicles and orbital mechanics. Nobody wants to 351 00:18:23,880 --> 00:18:27,080 Speaker 2: do that work except the rocket geeks. Actually, all is 352 00:18:27,400 --> 00:18:29,719 Speaker 2: a government in that sense. We'd care about is I 353 00:18:29,760 --> 00:18:31,280 Speaker 2: want to see if there's a ship there or not, 354 00:18:31,800 --> 00:18:33,919 Speaker 2: and that's ultimately where I think it all go. 355 00:18:34,760 --> 00:18:42,120 Speaker 1: Thanks for joining us, Peter. That said, for this episode 356 00:18:42,160 --> 00:18:45,040 Speaker 1: of the Front Page, you can read more about today's 357 00:18:45,040 --> 00:18:48,639 Speaker 1: stories and extensive news coverage at zat Herald dot co 358 00:18:48,880 --> 00:18:52,480 Speaker 1: dot z. The Front Page is produced by Ethan Seals 359 00:18:52,560 --> 00:18:57,399 Speaker 1: with sound engineer Patty Fox. I'm Chelsea Daniels. Subscribe to 360 00:18:57,400 --> 00:19:01,000 Speaker 1: the Front Page on iHeartRadio or wherever you get your podcasts, 361 00:19:01,000 --> 00:19:04,440 Speaker 1: and tune in tomorrow for another look behind the headlines.