Space Operations New Zealand
Space Operations New Zealand operates the Awarua Satellite Ground Station and Warkworth Space Centre, providing Southern Hemisphere antenna hosting, leasing, LEOP support and RF licensing services to global satellite operators, launch providers and deep space missions.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersInvercargill, New Zealand
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Space Operations New Zealand does
Space Operations New Zealand (SpaceOps NZ) is a council-controlled trading organisation under New Zealand's Local Government Act 2002 and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Southland Regional Development Agency Limited (trading as Great South). The company operates as the New Zealand-side implementing agency under the 2007 Arrangement between the European Space Agency and the Government of New Zealand, giving it a treaty-level role in bilateral space cooperation. It runs two flagship ground-segment facilities: the Awarua Satellite Ground Station at 46.5°S, 168°E — the most southern ground station in the Pacific Ocean Region — and the Warkworth Space Centre approximately 50 kilometres north of Auckland at 36.43°S, 174.66°E.
The company sells a portfolio of ground-segment services rather than a single product. Core offerings include antenna hosting on 4 hectares of flat land at Awarua with a sub-1.8° elevation horizon mask and full engineering support, antenna leasing on company-owned assets (3.7m S/X-Band, UHF, S-Band helical, plus 30m and 12m full-motion antennas at Warkworth), Launch and Early Operations Phase (LEOP) support, turn-key antenna erection and maintenance, and radio frequency licensing. Its technology base includes a proprietary Ethernet Antenna Positioner Controller (retrofit product for UHF/VHF positioners up to 5m) and a novel bistatic ground-station architecture at Awarua enabling up to three coincident satellite passes. The Warkworth facility provides hydrogen maser timing with Allen deviation below 1.5×10⁻¹³ s at τ=1s for deep space and VLBI work.
SpaceOps NZ generates revenue through managed-services contracts for antenna hosting, subscription-style recurring antenna leasing, project-based LEOP and engineering services, licensing fees (USD 75/year transmitting licence; downlinking free) and modest hardware sales of its positioner controller. Pricing for hosting and leasing is negotiated per mission and is not publicly disclosed. Customers are satellite operators across LEO, MEO and GEO orbits (with emphasis on polar-orbit LEO customers using the Southern Hemisphere vantage point), launch service providers seeking LEOP coverage in New Zealand's offset time-zone, deep space mission operators using Warkworth, and radio astronomy organisations. The company is headquartered in Invercargill, employed 21–30 staff as of mid-2026, and is executing a NZD 4.55 million headquarters build at Awarua funded in part by a NZD 2.25 million Regional Infrastructure Fund loan.
Space Operations New Zealand firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Space Operations New Zealand
- Legal name
- Space Operations New Zealand Limited
- Website
- https://spaceops.nz
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Space Operations New Zealand operates the Awarua Satellite Ground Station and Warkworth Space Centre, providing Southern Hemisphere antenna hosting, leasing, LEOP support and RF licensing services to global satellite operators, launch providers and deep space missions.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Space Operations New Zealand industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Satellite Ground Station Services
- NAICS
- Satellite Telecommunications (5174), Satellite Telecommunications (51741)
- SIC
- Services-Miscellaneous Equipment Rental & Leasing (7350), Radiotelephone Communications (4812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Satellite Ground Segment & Gateway Services (Teleports, Gateways, Ground Station-as-a-Service) (HDAIAJAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Ground Segment Systems (Ground Stations, TT&C, Mission Ops) (IMABACAJ), Satellite Network Operations & Capacity Services (NOC, Capacity Leasing, Managed Payload Services) (HDAIAJAI), Satellite Broadband Terminals & Gateways (VSAT/LEO CPE) (HDAFAIAM)
Keywords
Where Space Operations New Zealand is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Invercargill
- HQ country
- New Zealand
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices3 records
Markets served
Space Operations New Zealand business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Antenna Hosting: Hosting customer antennas at Awarua Satellite Ground Station on 4ha of flat land with full engineering support, UPS backup, and redundant power systems.
- Antenna Leasing: Leasing time on company-owned antennas including 3.7m S/X-Band, UHF, S-Band helical, and full-motion antennas at Warkworth (30m and 12m) for various mission types.
- LEOP Support: Launch and Early Operation Phase support services using company antennas and engineering team to support spacecraft during launch.
- Antenna Erection and Maintenance: Turn-key services for ground station establishment and ongoing maintenance including professional engineers, technicians, riggers and IT specialists.
- Radio Frequency Licensing: RF licensing services with transmitting licences available at USD 75.00 per year.
- Antenna Positioner Products: Sale of Ethernet antenna controller products for retrofitting to existing UHF/VHF positioners and dish antennas.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Radio Frequency Licensing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels3 records
Space Operations New Zealand product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Space Operations New Zealand provides satellite ground station services through its two flagship facilities—the Awarua Satellite Ground Station (46.5°S, 168°E) and the Warkworth Space Centre (50 km north of Auckland). Core offerings include antenna hosting on 4 hectares of flat land, antenna leasing (3.7m S/X-Band, UHF, S-Band helical, 30m and 12m full-motion antennas), Launch and Early Orbit Phase (LEOP) support, antenna erection and maintenance, and radio frequency licensing. The company also manufactures and sells a proprietary Ethernet Antenna Positioner Controller for retrofitting UHF/VHF positioners and dish antennas up to 5 metres.
Product overview
Space Operations New Zealand is a ground segment service provider for the space industry, offering a unified portfolio of services centered on two flagship facilities: the Awarua Satellite Ground Station (46.5°S, the most southern ground station in Pacific Ocean Region) and Warkworth Space Centre (featuring a 30m antenna for deep space missions). Core services include Antenna Hosting, Antenna Leasing, LEOP Support, Antenna Erection and Maintenance, and Radio Frequency Licensing. The company also manufactures a proprietary Ethernet Antenna Positioner Controller product for satellite ground systems. The portfolio is complemented by consulting and R&D services working with university partners.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Antenna Hosting Hosting of customer-owned antennas at Awarua Satellite Ground Station on 4 hectares of flat land with less than 2° elevation horizon mask, X-Band downloading, UPS backup, redundant power systems, and local engineering support. Targeted at satellite operators needing Southern Hemisphere ground segment infrastructure.
- Antenna Leasing Time-leasing on SpaceOps NZ antennas including 3.7m S/X-Band antennas, low-gain S-Band helical antennas (9-16 dBi), UHF antennas, and the 30m and 12m full-motion antennas at Warkworth Space Centre. For satellite operators needing LEO, MEO, GEO, Near Space, and Deep Space mission support.
- LEOP Support Launch and Early Operations Phase (LEOP) support using SpaceOps NZ antennas and engineering team to support spacecraft during launch and initial operation, leveraging New Zealand's offset time-zone for complementary global coverage. For launch service providers and satellite operators during critical deployment windows.
- Antenna Erection and Maintenance Turn-key services by professional engineers, technicians, riggers, and IT specialists in Invercargill to establish and maintain ground stations, including crane and plant operations. For satellite operators and organisations building or maintaining ground station infrastructure.
- Radio Frequency Licensing Radio frequency licensing services for satellite operations including UHF (400-403 MHz, 450 MHz) and S-Band frequencies. Transmitting licences cost USD 75.00 per year; downlinking at UHF, S, X and Ka-Bands is free with no landing fees. For satellite operators requiring RF spectrum access in New Zealand.
- Ethernet Antenna Positioner Controller
Quantifiable outcome
- Less than 1.8° natural elevation horizon mask in any direction
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Space Operations New Zealand
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Space Operations New Zealand technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Space Operations New Zealand partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- European Space Agency (ESA)coreSpaceOps NZ is the implementing agency on the New Zealand side under the Arrangement between the European Space Agency and the Government of New Zealand signed in 2007. This partnership establishes SpaceOps NZ as the primary interface for ESA cooperation with New Zealand in space-related activities.
- University of Canterbury Rocketry GroupminorSpaceOps NZ works closely with the University of Canterbury Rocketry Group as part of an active research and development programme developing ground station hardware, antennas and mission control software.
- University of AucklandminorSpaceOps NZ collaborates with the University of Auckland on research and development activities related to ground station technology and mission support capabilities.
- Great South (Southland Regional Development Agency)coreSpaceOps NZ is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Southland Regional Development Agency Limited (trading as Great South). Great South is the council-controlled organisation that owns and governs SpaceOps NZ.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Space Operations New Zealand competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation): Australian government research body operating radio astronomy and deep space tracking infrastructure (e.g., CDSCC Tidbinbilla). Comparable as a government-backed Southern Hemisphere deep space tracking provider.
- Optus Satellite: Australian satellite operator with ground stations at Belrose and regional sites supporting commercial and government customers. Comparable as a regional Pacific-Rim ground segment player with overlapping mission types.
Direct peers
- RBC Signals: US-based global ground station network provider offering hosting, leasing, and managed RF services to commercial and government satellite operators. Directly comparable as a multi-site GSaaS competitor.
- Atlas Space Operations: US-based GSaaS provider with a federated global ground station network offering on-demand tasking, hosting, and RF services. Directly comparable as a small, focused ground segment operator serving satellite operators.
- KSAT (Kongsberg Satellite Services): Norwegian ground station operator providing global TT&C, LEOP support, and antenna hosting across polar and equatorial sites. Directly comparable as a multi-site ground segment service provider targeting satellite operators worldwide.
- Swedish Space Corporation (SSC): Operates a global network of ground stations including polar sites in Esrange and equatorial sites. Directly comparable as a multi-site ground segment service provider offering hosting, leasing, and LEOP support to satellite operators.
- Leaf Space: Italian-based ground station as a service (GSaaS) operator offering distributed antenna network and on-demand pass scheduling for LEO operators. Directly comparable business model for recurring antenna leasing and managed ground services.
- Goonhilly Earth Station: UK-based privately-operated deep space and commercial ground station providing TT&C, deep space tracking, and radio astronomy services. Directly comparable as a mid-sized ground station operator with deep space mission capabilities.
Others
- Satellite Applications Catapult: UK-based technology and innovation centre supporting ground segment R&D and operating test facilities. Comparable as an adjacent ecosystem participant in ground station technology development and operator enablement.
Broad incumbents
- AWS Ground Station: Amazon's managed ground station as a service integrated with AWS cloud, offering global downlink and uplink services. Represents a much larger, cloud-integrated incumbent with potential to disrupt traditional GSaaS providers.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Space Operations New Zealand social profiles
Digital presenceSpace Operations New Zealand financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Space Operations New Zealand leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Space Operations New Zealand funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Space Operations New Zealand M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Space Operations New Zealand
What does Space Operations New Zealand do?
Space Operations New Zealand provides satellite ground station services through its two flagship facilities—the Awarua Satellite Ground Station (46.5°S, 168°E) and the Warkworth Space Centre (50 km north of Auckland). Core offerings include antenna hosting on 4 hectares of flat land, antenna leasing (3.7m S/X-Band, UHF, S-Band helical, 30m and 12m full-motion antennas), Launch and Early Orbit Phase (LEOP) support, antenna erection and maintenance, and radio frequency licensing. The company also manufactures and sells a proprietary Ethernet Antenna Positioner Controller for retrofitting UHF/VHF positioners and dish antennas up to 5 metres.
Is Space Operations New Zealand a public or private company?
Space Operations New Zealand is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Space Operations New Zealand founded?
Space Operations New Zealand was founded in 2008. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Space Operations New Zealand based?
Space Operations New Zealand is headquartered in Invercargill, New Zealand, in the Oceania region.
How does Space Operations New Zealand make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Antenna Hosting is the primary driver. The others are antenna Leasing, LEOP Support, antenna Erection and Maintenance, radio Frequency Licensing and antenna Positioner Products.
Who are Space Operations New Zealand's main competitors?
Regional players on record are CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) and Optus Satellite. Direct peers are RBC Signals, Atlas Space Operations, KSAT (Kongsberg Satellite Services), Swedish Space Corporation (SSC), Leaf Space and Goonhilly Earth Station. Satellite Applications Catapult is listed as an others. AWS Ground Station is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Space Operations New Zealand have an API?
No public API is recorded for Space Operations New Zealand.
What industry is Space Operations New Zealand in?
Space Operations New Zealand's product category is Satellite Ground Station Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAIAJAH, Satellite Ground Segment & Gateway Services (Teleports, Gateways, Ground Station-as-a-Service), with a secondary code of IMABACAJ, Ground Segment Systems (Ground Stations, TT&C, Mission Ops). Its NAICS code is 5174 and its SIC code is 7350.