The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) has officially entered the “space race” with the launch of an experimental communications satellite on board a Rocket Lab Electron rocket lifting off from the Wallops Launch Complex 2 in Virginia.
Video / Rocket Lab
Students from Napier Girls’ High School have been given a community-sponsored space camp at the Aotearoa Aerospace Academy after losing thousands of dollars in the Actura liquidation.
Eight students attended the camp from Monday to Wednesday and explored everything from astronaut training to what a moonand Mars mission would entail.
“They lost that money and most of them had paid all that amount — it was all gone.”
Napier Girls' High School students and teachers explored space, the Air Force and Antarctica during their trip to Christchurch.
Ackroyd said she couldn’t let the students miss out, so the school and Hawke’s Bay community helped to sponsor a trip to Christchurch to the Air Force Museum with help from science teacher Vanessa Fraser.
“We came up with the mission to space camp in Canterbury and we made it happen for them.”
She said they received sponsorship from the NGHS Old Girls’ Association, members of the school community, and organisations.
“Even an elderly gentleman from down the road said he heard about the company and the girls with their space trip to America and he said, ‘here is $100 for you to put something towards them’.”
The camp is led by the Aotearoa Aerospace Academy manager for Aerospace New Zealand, Miranda Satterthwaite, a trained Nasa and Rocket Lab space educator.
The group of Year 10-12 students was given insights into robotics, rocketry, aerospace and environmental science.
“They had to research, design and build a lunar base and had a look at all the conditions they would have to overcome — like radiation on Mars.”
The students also got to experience a rescue after landing on Earth from outer space, and completed water-based training in a swimming pool.
Napier Girls' High School student Ivy Niehorster helped to fly a plane on the trip.
Ackroyd, a former science teacher, said three students experienced a version of a Mars mission by flying with the Canterbury Aeroclub.
“They were able to assist with flying the plane and experienced weightlessness — they did some G-force stuff.”
The opportunity provided insight into all the possible careers the students could pursue in aerospace science in New Zealand.
Astronaut Chris Martin spoke to the students about the selection process and criteria to become an astronaut.
“For some of them, it was a trip that was a dream come true, they had wanted to go to Nasa in the States, but this was more relevant because it was about New Zealand and all the job opportunities.”
They also visited the International Antarctic Centre and learned about extreme exploration, experiencing a storm, and rode in an amphibious vehicle.
Ackroyd said it was a great learning opportunity and the students saw New Zealand was a gateway to space exploration.
Michaela Gower joined Hawke’s Bay Today in 2023 and is based out of the Hastings newsroom. She covers Dannevirke and Hawke’s Bay news and has a love for sharing stories about farming and rural communities.
