- Hon Chris Penk
Seven postgraduate students have been awarded the 2026 New Zealand Space Scholarship and will intern at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Southern California, Space Minister Chris Penk announced today.
“The Space Scholarship presents a career-defining opportunity for these talented young New Zealanders who are set to spend three months at JPL working alongside scientists and engineers on real-world missions,” Mr Penk says.
“As part of their work, they will be contributing to cutting-edge space technology projects and gain experience right at the forefront of global space innovation.”
The students, Alexander Wiseman, Angela Xue, Laura Doyle and Zhen Hong Chai (Victoria University of Wellington), Laura Franssen (Auckland University of Technology), and Kyja McCabe and Thomas Phillips (University of Auckland), received their scholarships at a ceremony today.
The 2026 cohort’s studies span physics, electrical engineering, chemistry, microbiology and aerospace engineering. They will work across a range of projects including astrovirology, analysing gas reactions under vacuum ultraviolet (UV) light, developing power electronics systems, and end-to-end telemetry analysis.
Mr Penk says it is an exciting time for the space industry, both locally and overseas. In recent years, New Zealand’s space sector has grown rapidly, with revenue increasing an estimated 53 percent in the five years to 2024.
“That growth is delivering real economic benefit and cementing New Zealand’s position as a credible, active global player.
“Building and sustaining a highly skilled, future-ready space workforce is a key priority of New Zealand’s Space and Advanced Aviation Strategy – the Space Scholarship gives postgraduate students the opportunity to gain valuable international experience before bringing that expertise home,” Mr Penk says.
More information about the 2026 recipients and their projects is available on the MBIE website: https://www.mbie.govt.nz/science-and-technology/space/careers-scholarships-and-awards/new-zealand-space-scholarship
