A CubeSat is a miniature satellite which, at a low-cost to develop and launch, has opened the flood-gates to space.

Access to space is becoming ever easier. It's time for New Zealand to get into the game. JO MCKENZIE-MCLEAN reports.

A casually-dressed, grey-haired man sits at a desk in an unassuming office in the industrial area of Alexandra in Central Otago.

Dr Greg Bodeker opens an email from a primary-school aged pupil from a far-flung town in the North Island who is asking for help with an assignment. The child wants to know if astronauts only eat dehydrated food in space.

JO MCKENZIE-MCLEAN/FAIRFAX NZ Dr Greg Bodeker, of Bodeker Scientific in Alexandra, Central Otago.

It is one of 40-plus emails Bodeker has been receiving on a daily basis since his proposal to establish a Centre for Space Science Technology was shortlisted by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) to be established as a Regional Research Institute.

The MBIE initiative was announced as part of Budget 2015 which will establish Regional Research Institutes around New Zealand to support innovation in the regions. In Budget 2016, the Government announced it would commit $40 million of additional funds to support this initiative, bringing the total funding to $65 million.

The space science technology centre proposal was developed by a consortium of eight "parent organisations" across New Zealand and led by Bodeker Scientific. Other parent organisations include: AgResearch, Callaghan Innovation, MetOcean Solutions, Rocket Lab, University of Canterbury, University of Otago and WakeScience.

Bodeker says the proposal, one of 40 expressions of interest from groups around the country, was "cobbled together" by a small team at Bodeker Scientific with input from the other seven parent organisations. Much of the work was done during the evenings and on weekends, on a shoe-string budget of $4000, which Bodeker provided in support of the proposal development.

Despite its humble genesis, the proposal has got people excited and attracted the support of academic institutions, scientific organisations, as well as the Central Otago District Council which has recently committed, in principle, to provide $20,000 towards the development of a business case for the centre.

There is no doubt in Bodeker's mind, now is the right time for New Zealand to be investing in a space programme.

"Only three countries in the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) don't have space programmes (New Zealand, Iceland and Chile) - countries smaller than New Zealand have space programmes. In 100 years time, if New Zealand was not doing this, it would be like having no electricity. It would be like being in the stone ages."

Now is the right time because of the advent of CubeSats and the development of CubeSat technology, he says.

A CubeSat is a miniature satellite, which at a low-cost to develop and launch, has opened the flood-gates to space.

"Historically, you would spend 10 to 15 years designing and building satellites with a cost of around $200 million to $300 million and pay $10 million to launch it. That is what kept New Zealand out of the game. Now with CubeSats, you can design and build one for $200,000 and launch it for another $250,000 and you are in business - or even get a free flight on someone's rocket.

"There are people quickly getting on board and it is time New Zealand did the same. It has changed access to space and it is time for New Zealand to do this."

While people were sending up satellites "fast and furiously", nobody was doing it tailored for New Zealand, he says.

"They are doing it for who pays. What we want to do is be in a position in New Zealand to not be reliant upon anyone else for space-based measurements. It is an issue of national sovereignty in a way. We don't want to be depending on people for space-based measurements that could be commercially valuable."

They already have plans to develop a CubeSat that would not contribute to space junk in orbit.

"We want to develop technology that allows CubeSats to change their position and orbit in space which is very much in its infancy globally, but where New Zealand could play a very strong role. One reason you want to do that is when you are finished with your satellite, you can bring it down quickly and it doesn't become space junk because there is a lot of junk in space. We don't want to be adding to it, so being able to reposition satellites and shift them to different orbits and later de-orbit them is very, very valuable. There is also the option to fly a couple of CubeSats in formation with different satellites hosting different but compatible instruments performing different functions."

While it was important for New Zealand to develop a small satellite programme to gather its own data and been seen to be actively doing something in space, it is also important to help other industries in the country succeed, he says.

"The whole purpose of this institute is about enabling other industries in New Zealand to do well. The point is to boost other people's ability to provide their products or services. It is not about competing with other organisations. We need to be financially self-sustainable but in a way where we are making the cake bigger rather than fighting for your slice of the cake."

Agriculture has been identified as one industry that would highly benefit from space-based data.

"One product we plan to develop is high resolution soil moisture maps. Creating soil moisture maps is complicated, but the institute will do the work so that people who need the maps don't have to worry about the complications. How many New Zealand irrigation companies are getting space-based measurements of soil moisture and using it? Probably none. It's too hard to use and it's not what they want. It is about getting those data and adding value and transforming it so that it meets the needs of industries in New Zealand."

They currently use data from SMOS - a European Space Agency satellite, and SMAP which is owned by NASA. The data is free and both satellites measure soil moisture.

"Companies could develop apps around the products and services the centre will develop, including the soil moisture maps. Irrigation companies could develop systems to control irrigation water application by centre-pivot irrigators based on these data so water was being used as efficiently as possible."

Other industries that could benefit from space-based data mentioned in the proposal are:

Snow and ice: for example, providing imagery for ski-field operators, assessment of snowpack as a summer-time irrigation resource, assessment of ice loading on power lines.

Irrigation and agriculture: soil moisture, in support of precision irrigation, water stress, nitrogen-related stress, biomass, precision agriculture.

Oceans and atmosphere: ocean state, ocean colour, fisheries, ship operations, EEZ monitoring, space-based chlorophyll mapping. Measurements of atmospheric state variables for improved numerical weather prediction.

Regional planning and hazard management: Civil engineering, flood/fire damage, risk assessments, near-real- time imagery in support of disaster response.

Data Telemetry: A space-based fast data link between Scott Base and Christchurch, potential other data telemetry services for selected clients – for example, other stations in Antarctica.

"That is the tip of the iceberg. There is a lot more that can be done."

Ron Clink, MBIE Principal Policy Advisor, Science Policy, says while they cannot say anything about the individual proposals, there were a number of "credible and exciting proposals" submitted.

"The three shortlisted represent those considered at this stage to have presented the best plans for delivering the strongest growth in business research, development and innovation in regional areas."

All three proposals could be established, he says.

"MBIE will work with these applicants to refine the structure and research focus of their proposed research institutes. How much funding each institute requires will be determined as part of the business case development process.

"MBIE expects to support the establishment of one to three Regional Research Institutes. The final numbers will depend, among other things, on the strength of proposals and business cases, and on the level and duration of financial commitments from the businesses and research organisations that will be directly involved."

FACT BOX

The Centre for Space Science Technology (CSST) will be a single organisation with the head office in Alexandra, Central Otago. However, there will be other satellite offices established in New Plymouth, Lincoln and Dunedin. Each of the offices will be responsible for specialised markets: Alexandra (snow and ice), Alexandra and Lincoln (irrigation and agriculture), New Plymouth (oceans and atmosphere), Dunedin (regional planning and hazard management) and Lincoln (data telemetry).

While the proposal has been shortlisted, a detailed business case is currently being prepared and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment will make a final decision if it is to be established as a Regional Research Institute later in 2016.

The two other shortlisted proposals are: New Zealand Institute of Viticulture and Oenology, Marlborough, led by New Zealand Winegrowers – research to support the growth and continuing success of New Zealand wine industry; and Earth+Vantage, Southland, led by Venture Southland – research using real time satellite and ground-based data to lift primary industry productivity across New Zealand, in areas such as precision farming, forestry and marine management.