Space and radio science

Southland's location makes it ideally suited for radio astronomy, ionospheric research, downloading data from polar orbiting spacecraft and tracking certain rocket launches. Venture Southland has identified a range of such opportunities that can be developed utilising Southland’s location and natural advantages.

Venture Southland is taking an integrated approach to these projects in order to maximise the opportunities and benefits for both the region and researchers. In particular, effort is being directed to develop joint facilities at Awarua, ten kilometres to the south of Invercargill.

To these ends, Venture Southland works with universities in New Zealand and Australia, and a number of space agencies- in particular the European Space Agency, French Space Agency (CNES) and the Swedish Space Corporation.

While these projects provide skilled jobs in Southland, just as importantly they excite Southland school pupils  to study science, mathematics and engineering.  Against the national trend for declining  enrolements, over the last five years the number of students taking Physics in Invercargill has doubled.

Links

Royal Society of New Zealand, "The Gamma Series", April 2008