New Zealand MP says Rocket Lab launches could betray country’s anti-nuclear stance

The commercial space company rejects criticism of satellite launches for the US military

A New Zealand commercial space company, Rocket Lab, has faced new opposition to its activities on behalf of foreign militaries, with one New Zealand Green MP saying its actions could fly in the face of the country's anti-nuclear stance.

The American-New Zealand company, founded by Peter Beck in 2006, provides rockets to deliver payloads into orbit from its launch site on the Mhia Peninsula, in New Zealand's north. A third of Rocket Lab's activities have been on behalf of defence and national security agencies. These include launching US and Australian spy satellites, the controversial Gunsmoke J" satellite, and most recently Nasa's capstone spacecraft.