Updates
Southern Alps at sunrise over the Canterbury Plains. Photo: Ben Frost
The latest 5 announcements and reports from each listed organisation, newest publication date first. Updates whose source gives no publication date are listed last. Plans and announcements are reported as such, not as completed outcomes.
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Oklahoma Breaks Ground on $7.5 Million Dawn Aerospace Facility at Infinity One Spaceport
Dawn Aerospace broke ground on a new mission control facility and spaceplane hangar at Infinity One Oklahoma Spaceport. The facility is valued at $7.5 million and is intended to support commercial spaceflight in western Oklahoma.
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NZ an emerging strategic launch hub for European space industry
Tāwhaki National Aerospace Centre and SpaceDreamS confirmed that the site is technically and operationally suitable for vertical launch. The parties are continuing discussions with government agencies and stakeholders regarding the development of the facility.
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Dawn Aerospace, Infinite Orbits and Exotrail completes CNES R&T Study on Next-Generation Refuellable Spacecraft Platforms
Dawn Aerospace, Infinite Orbits, and Exotrail have completed a twelve-month study commissioned by CNES to assess the potential of refuellable spacecraft platforms. The study concluded that refueling capability is technically feasible and can be integrated into spacecraft architectures without fundamental changes.
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NZAero and NMIT Launch Aviation Engineering Training Initiative to Address Skills Shortage
NZAero and NMIT are establishing a new aviation engineering training initiative in Hamilton to address a shortage of aircraft engineers. The programme is expected to contribute to the training of up to 230 aviation engineering students annually across New Zealand.
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AULE SPACE SELECTS DAWN SATDRIVE PROPULSION FOR DOCKING DEMONSTRATION MISSION
Dawn Aerospace has signed a commercial contract to deliver a customized SatDrive propulsion system for Aule Space's upcoming docking demonstration mission.
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Astral Materials Secures Microgravity Campaign with Dawn Aerospace to Advance Next-Generation Materials and Semiconductor Manufacturing
Astral Materials has selected Dawn Aerospace's Aurora spaceplane to test its microgravity furnace hardware for next-generation materials manufacturing. The agreement includes an initial campaign of up to 100 microgravity flight missions over two years at the Oklahoma Infinity One Spaceport.
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NZ to Restart Trainer Aircraft Production as New Thai Aviation Agreement Signed
NZAero is restarting production of the CT-4 Airtrainer following the signing of a new Memorandum of Understanding with Thailand. The agreement aims to strengthen aviation cooperation and potentially generate tens of millions of dollars in export revenue over the next three years.
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Tāwhaki and UC partnership opens pathways for rangatahi in aerospace, science and whenua
Tāwhaki and the University of Canterbury signed a partnership agreement to expand opportunities for rangatahi in aerospace and science. The agreement formalises a relationship that has developed since Tāwhaki was established in 2021.
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Hon. Nicola Willis Tours United Machinists' Workshop
Hon. Nicola Willis visited the United Machinists workshop to view their precision manufacturing work and new machinery. The visit included discussions on vocational pathways and the company's ongoing investment in automation and equipment.
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Strengthening NZAero’s Design and Certification Capability
NZAero has appointed Richard Andrews as Chief Designer to enhance its design and certification capabilities. This appointment aims to strengthen the depth of knowledge supporting the aircraft they design and support.
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Final RAAF CT-4 Flight Marks a Significant Moment in Aviation Training History
NZAero attended the final flight of the Royal Australian Air Force CT-4 aircraft at RAAF Base Point Cook. The event marked the end of the aircraft's role in military flight training.
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Why United Machinists Took Its Story to Tokyo's SpaceTide 2026
United Machinists attended a special aerospace event hosted by the NZ Embassy in Tokyo to coincide with SpaceTide 2026. The company presented its story of transitioning from a local job shop to a global supplier of mission-critical components.
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New Tornos Swiss DT 26 HP Now on the Shop Floor
United Machinists reports that a new Tornos Swiss DT 26 HP lathe is currently being set up on their shop floor. The article states that parts which previously took 8 minutes to finish are now completed in 2 minutes on the new machine.
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Dawn Aerospace Closes US$25 Million Series B to Accelerate Global Expansion of Reusable Space Transportation
Dawn Aerospace announced the close of its Series B funding round, raising $25 million at a $195 million post-money valuation. The round was led by US-based VC, Balerion Space Ventures.
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DLR-Tāwhaki agreement creates aerospace sister centres
Tāwhaki and the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) have signed a five-year strategic partnership to create a “sister centres” framework for shared research and uncrewed aviation advancement.
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Success At The Grand Business South Awards 2025
United Machinists won the Excellence in Manufacturing Award and the Supreme Winner at the Grand Business South Awards 2025.
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Australian Aviation Industry to Honour NZ-Built Air Force Training Aircraft
Australia's aviation community is honouring the New Zealand-designed CT-4 Airtrainer to mark 50 years since its arrival in the country. The Airtourer Association is hosting a fly-in event at Tamworth Airport from October 17 to 19 to commemorate the aircraft's history.
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Kea Aerospace Stratospheric Flight Over Antarctica For Ozone Research
Kea Aerospace has secured funding to fly the Kea Atmos over Antarctica for ozone research in the next 3 to 5 years. The company will collaborate with the University of Otago to carry miniaturised instruments on stratospheric test flights.
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Anodising plant a strategic move for United Machinists
United Machinists has added an in-house anodising service at its Dunedin plant to improve quality control and reduce lead times.
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Permanent Special Use Airspace approved for Tāwhaki
A permanent Special Use Airspace has been approved for Tāwhaki National Aerospace Centre and will be managed by Tāwhaki Joint Venture. From 7 August 2025, Tāwhaki will oversee six Restricted Areas and six Danger Areas that are permanently designated but only activated as required.
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Hydrogen electric flight prepares for lift off in New Zealand
Stralis Aircraft, Fabrum, and Ara Ake are collaborating to design and test liquid-hydrogen storage tanks and a fuel system for Stralis aircraft. The partnership aims to enable Australasia’s first liquid-hydrogen-powered flight.
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Fabrum Co-Founder Christopher Boyle Returns as Managing Director
Fabrum co-founder Christopher Boyle has returned to the Managing Director role to lead the company into its next phase of growth and evolution. Christopher Boyle succeeds Dr Ojas Mahapatra, who stepped down as CEO after three years of guiding Fabrum through a period of rapid expansion.
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Fabrum launches hydrogen testing facility at Christchurch Airport to accelerate zero-emission aviation
Fabrum has unveiled a hydrogen testing facility at Christchurch Airport to support the development of green hydrogen-powered technologies, primarily in aviation. The facility is located in the CIAL’s Kowhai Park renewable energy precinct and enables the development of liquefiers, gas management systems, and boil-off gas management technologies.
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H2Ocean: Fabrum and King Watercraft collaborate on high performance hydrogen-powered RIB boat
Fabrum and King Watercraft have collaborated on the design and build of a hydrogen-powered boat called H2Ocean. The vessel is scheduled to begin sea trials in January 2025.
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FABRUM’s HLQ75 Hydrogen Liquefier
Fabrum presents its HLQ75 hydrogen liquefier as a fully containerised production system. The article invites readers to view a video about the product's unique attributes.
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6,000ft Flight Completes Low Altitude Test Campaign
Kea Aerospace completed its low-altitude test campaign with a 6,000-foot flight of the Kea Atmos aircraft. The flight was the first Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) flight for the Kea Atmos.
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Industry collaboration to advance fast-growing aerospace sector in Aotearoa
Airways International and Tāwhaki Joint Venture have announced a collaboration agreement to support the growth of the New Zealand aerospace sector. The agreement identifies key target areas to fast-track testing of uncrewed aircraft.
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Media Release: New Zealand Flies To The Stratosphere With NASA
Kea Aerospace has secured New Zealand government support to collaborate with NASA on a project to monitor coastal water quality using a solar-powered stratospheric plane.
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Autonomous Flight Testing
The article reports that the Kea Aerospace flight test team tested the auto pilot's 'return to home' functionality as part of fully autonomous flight operations. This testing was conducted on a day when the team was performing these specific autonomous flight operations.
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Flight Autonomy vs. Mission Autonomy
The article distinguishes between flight autonomy, which operates the aircraft safely, and mission autonomy, which determines how to pursue an objective. It argues that these are complementary layers with different responsibilities rather than a single scale of autonomy.
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Merlin Adds L-39 Albatros to Its Test Fleet, Helping Merlin Pilot™ Extend to More Tactical Mission Sets
Merlin Labs has added an Aero L-39C Albatros to its test fleet as its first jet. The aircraft is intended to serve as a dedicated jet testbed for flight testing and the continued development of Merlin Pilot for tactical aircraft.
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Merlin Moves its U.S. Flight Operations to North Central State Airport
Merlin has moved its U.S. flight operations to North Central State Airport in Smithfield, Rhode Island, concluding operations at Quonset State Airport. The move provides additional hangar capacity to support an expanding aircraft fleet and growing flight testing requirements.
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Presence Is Deterrence: Autonomy for the World’s Unwatched Waters
Merlin Labs hosted the President of Palau at its Rhode Island test flight facility, where he expressed a desire for the nation to serve as a test case for autonomous aviation in the Pacific.
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The Cessna Grand Caravan: A Testbed for Aircraft-Agnostic Autonomy
Merlin Labs uses the Cessna Grand Caravan as a testbed to evaluate software and collect flight data for developing its autonomous pilot system. The aircraft's low operating costs and suitability for short transport missions allow for frequent flight testing to guide software updates.
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Beyond the ISS: Building the next commercial LEO economy
The article reports that the next LEO economy will be served by a mix of dedicated, scalable platforms to meet new demands for frequent access and control. It identifies uncrewed free-flyers as a critical part of this market, offering high-cadence access and custom mission design.
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Outlier and Yuri sign MOU to expand access to microgravity research
Outlier Space and Yuri USA, Inc. have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to develop an integrated pathway for life-science research in microgravity. The agreement combines Yuri's flight-proven life-science hardware with Outlier Space's reusable payload delivery and return capability.
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India product transfer update; CEO joins India mission
Rakon has transferred selected products to its manufacturing facility in Bengaluru, India. The company's CEO is joining a business delegation accompanying the New Zealand Prime Minister on a mission to India.
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Mark Dunwoodie confirmed as permanent CFO
Rakon has confirmed the appointment of Mark Dunwoodie as its permanent Chief Financial Officer effective 2 December 2024.
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Organisational transformation and Executive Team restructure
Rakon has announced a strategic organisational transformation that replaces its previous manufacturing-based structure with two new global Business Units: Aerospace and Defence, and Commercial. The company has restructured its Executive Team, appointing new Managing Directors for the Business Units and creating a Chief Innovation Officer role to oversee advanced R&D.
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Rakon enters new chapter as a division of Bourns Inc
Bourns, Inc. acquired more than 95 percent of Rakon Limited shares through a takeover offer effective 8 May 2026. Rakon will join Bourns as its fifth division, the Bourns Timing Division, and will continue to operate under the Rakon name.
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Rakon introduces new GNSS Receiver with advanced clock for NewSpace applications
Rakon has announced the GNSS Receiver TIMING, a new product that integrates a GNSS receiver with a GNSS Disciplined Oscillator (GNSSDO) for NewSpace applications. The device combines GNSS functionality with Rakon's proprietary Ultra Stable Oscillator to provide advanced timing capabilities.