Airways chief operating officer Pauline Lamb hopes the agreement will see other rocket operators come to New Zealand.

The countdown to the country's first rocket launch is one tick closer - and there are hopes a new deal will turn New Zealand into a space destination.

State-owned Airways and New Zealand space company Rocket Lab and have signed a deal to ensure regular rocket launches from the country can be safe.

The agreement would see Airways provide air traffic services for Rocket Lab's test and commercial rocket launches from the world's first private orbital launch site on Mahia Peninsula, on the East Coast south of Gisborne.

CHRIS SKELTON/FAIRFAX NZ Rocket Lab chief executive Peter Beck says the company looks forward to working with Airways.

Airways chief operating officer Pauline Lamb said the agreement provided Rocket Lab with another piece to its rocket puzzle.

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The two organisations had worked together for 18 months to develop a "special use airspace" which minimised impact on others, but still allowed Rocket Labs what it wanted to do.

SUPPLIED A computer generated image of what Rocket Lab's Mahia rocket launch site.

Rocket Lab planned to do up to 100 launches into space a year, and Lamb said the country was positioning itself as the ideal space to access space from.

"Hopefully it's the first of many.

"We would really welcome other operators to come here and do exactly the same."

Airways has already helped about 120 near-space launches in New Zealand airspace, and NASA and Google have both chosen the country for balloon launches.

Lamb said it was new to provide air traffic control services for a rocket, but would otherwise be routine.

The Mahia Peninsula launch site was a good location because there was little traffic in the airspace around it, Lamb said.

"We are ready to go when they are.

"They're on a really intense programme of testing and when they're ready is when they're ready, and we'll be there."

In July, Rocket Lab signed up United States technology company Planet for at least three satellite launches.

Planet will use Rocket Lab's Electron rocket to send its satellites, dubbed Doves, into orbit, expanding and replenishing its existing fleet.

The 18-metre tall Electron rocket will send satellites into orbit at a cost of about US$5 million (NZ$6.7m) - a fraction of what it costs other space companies.

Rocket Lab is set to begin scheduled launches of Electron in 2017 from the Mahia Peninsula.