New Zealand’s aerospace sector gathers in Christchurch to “Look Up,Lean In” for Aotearoa’s future

1 Oct

01 October 2026. New Zealand’s largest aerospace conference, the New Zealand Aerospace Summit, returns to Christchurch on 1 and 2 October, bringing together founders, researchers, investors, regulators, and international partners under the theme Look Up, Lean In.

Now in its fifth year, the Summit has grown alongside one of New Zealand’s fastest growing sectors. Aerospace companies have posted median revenue growth of around 65 percent over the last five years, and are forecasting a further 100 percent growth over the next five.

“The aerospace sector has momentum in New Zealand, and this Summit is about building what comes next,” said Mark Rocket, President of Aerospace New Zealand and CEO of Kea Aerospace.

“We want to celebrate what has been achieved, have open conversations about where we need to improve, and connect New Zealand aerospace companies and innovators with people and opportunities from around the world.”

The two day programme spans the absolute breadth of the sector, showcasing how aerospace capability directly solves real world challenges. Technical streams and panel discussions will cover a wide spectrum of innovation, including liquid hydrogen propulsion, autonomous aircraft systems, and advanced aerospace manufacturing. Attendees will also explore frontier applications such as microgravity research, space debris reduction, solar powered stratospheric flight, and the critical role of Earth observation data in strengthening climate resilience and supporting Antarctic science.

To address these challenges and opportunities, the Summit features over 50 international and domestic speakers, led by our three keynote presenters:

Dr Teasel Muir Harmony, Curator of the Apollo Collection at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, speaking on Apollo’s Legacy: Engineering the Future by Preserving the Past.
Sam Vye, Founder and CEO of SYOS Aerospace, on what it takes for a New Zealand aerospace company to compete on the global stage.
Ross Hulbert of Spaceport Cornwall in the United Kingdom, on collaboration, resilience, and ambitious ground infrastructure that enables aerospace innovation.

The Summit will also tackle some of the more complex conversations facing the sector, including the increasing overlap between aerospace technologies and defence applications.

“Defence is a broad term, and it deserves a robust discussion rather than being reduced to a slogan,” said Rocket.

“The same underlying aerospace technologies can be used across a very wide spectrum, from environmental monitoring, communications, search and rescue, and disaster response, through to defence applications. These are important conversations, and in a fast changing world, now is the time to have those conversations.”

Aerospace New Zealand also acknowledges the right of protesters and members of the public to question how aerospace technologies are developed and used.

“People are absolutely entitled to raise questions about technology and its applications, and debate is part of a healthy democracy,” said Rocket. “One of the purposes of bringing our industry together is to create space for difficult questions as well as the new, exciting ideas.”

ENDS

About the Summit:

The New Zealand Aerospace Summit runs on 1 and 2 October 2026 at Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre, featuring two days of keynote presentations, panel discussions, focus sessions, networking, and international engagement.

The full programme is available at aerospace.org.nz/summit.

Aerospace New Zealand:

The Summit is organised by Aerospace New Zealand, a not-for-profit focused on fostering innovation and high-tech jobs. In addition to the Summit, Aerospace New Zealand organises MeetUps, mentoring programmes, Startups and STEM education for students.

Aerospace related services enable: