Contacts key in space industry

Press, 15 January 1986, Page 11

Contacts key in space industry

PA Wellington New Zealand manufacturers will need the right contacts to grab a share of the lucrative space industry, the Manufacturers’ Federation’s executive officer, Mr Bernard Healy, said yesterday. Contacts were the key to finding out what was needed by those planning major space projects and where the gaps were in the market.

Mr Healy said that he supported statements last week by Dr Peter Ellis, the director of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research’s division- of information technology. Dr Ellis, who visited space agencies in Europe, said that there were opportunities for New Zealand manufacturers who were prepared to try and break into the space industry. Dr Healy said that at

least one item of New Zea-land-designed and manufactured equipment was already in use in the American space shuttle programme. This was a hand-held radiometer, used in the assessment of the Earth’s resources.

“Our skills with com-* puters and computer software are also recognised in the United States and there is no reason why these cannot be adapted to the needs of the space programme,” he said.

“The art of the business is to know what is needed or to know how to find out what is needed. That comes down to contacts and at the moment these are limited.” Dr Healy suggested contacts could be established between manufacturers and those involved in space projects with the help of people such as Dr Ellis.