New Zealand Tightens Satellite Monitoring Regulations

New Zealand plans to legislate against the use of its territory for satellite monitoring by entities not aligned with its values. Meanwhile, ULA seeks to upgrade its Vulcan rocket to compete with SpaceX's Starship in the low Earth orbit launch market, targeting SpaceX's accomplishments with Starlink.

In a move to safeguard national interests, the New Zealand government announced plans to legislate against entities using its territory to monitor satellites if they do not align with the nation's values. The law, expected to pass next year, reflects growing global concerns over space security and territorial integrity.

New Zealand's advantageous positioning with clear skies has made it a prime location for satellite monitoring, attracting international attention, including from the European Space Agency. This legislative move seeks to weed out potential security threats by scrutinizing who benefits from its geographic and atmospheric advantages.

Simultaneously, the United Launch Alliance (ULA), a joint venture by Boeing and Lockheed Martin, revealed plans to upgrade the Vulcan rocket. This development aims to position Vulcan as a formidable rival to SpaceX's Starship, with a keen focus on the burgeoning low Earth orbit satellite launch market largely influenced by SpaceX's ambitious Starlink project.

(With inputs from agencies.)