American space giant NASA has confirmed Wanaka as a global base for its super balloon launches for the next decade - one of a number of space-based projects taking off in the South Island.
Central Otago's Alexandra is known for its orchards and vineyards, but now a local consortium's shooting for the stars with a "Centre for Space Science Technology," kick-started by a $15 million Government grant.
Greg Bodeker, from the Centre of Space Science Technology, says accessing satellite data from other space agencies to make it more accessible to the industry here will serve the regional economy well.
It will be a kind of space-based data exchange that uses satellite imagery to provide valuable information for businesses.
Mr Bodeker sees it helping forestry and agriculture, as well as irrigation.
Economic agency Ventre Southland plans to use satellite data for a new earth observation institute near Bluff.
Robin McNeill, Venture Southland's Enterprise Project Manager, says it will improve farmers' pastures, and make it easier to monitor from the sky rather than having to walk across the paddocks.
It will also help in the event of earthquakes, Mr McNeill added, providing instant information.
The remote base has previously been used to monitor rocket launches and resupply missions for the International Space Station.
Tech giants also have dish antennas here, monitoring their own satellite networks.
But for space researchers, location is everything.
"The closer you are to the South Pole, the more passes you get, the better it is. And we've got a fantastic location here," Mr McNeill says.
NASA has already launched two giant "super pressure balloons" from Wanaka, injecting over $1 million into the economy each time. Preparations are now underway for a third launch.
Debbie Fairbrother, NASA's Balloon Program Office chief, says local support encouraged them to stick around.
"We go out to eat and somebody asks if we're on holiday, and we say 'no we're here with the balloon launch.' And they're like, 'Oh wow that's great. We saw it last year,'" Ms Fairbrother says.
While New Zealand is fairly late to the space race, plans to launch our own satellites and rockets could see us making up for lost time.
Newshub.
