Sir Peter Beck, of Auckland, KNZM for services to the aerospace industry, business and education
Sir Peter Beck has been founder and CEO of Rocket Lab since 2006, which designs, builds and launches advanced rockets and satellites, pioneering an industry previously non-existent in New Zealand. Sir Peter has led Rocket Lab to become a highly successful, award-winning business, engaged with STEM education, and as a widely connected and recognised leader within global aerospace. Rocket Lab’s Ātea 1 became the first rocket in the Southern Hemisphere to reach space in 2009. Rocket Lab employs 1,800 people globally, with 750 New Zealand employees, and is the most prolific commercial launch provider behind only SpaceX, launching 46 missions to space including NASA’s 2022 lunar CAPSTONE mission, and more than 160 satellites to orbit as of April 2024. These satellites have enabled scientific and climate monitoring for NASA, national security for international governments, school and university research, and commercial innovations. The Electron rocket, first launched in 2017, achieved several world-firsts including materials used, and allows frequent launch at a dramatically reduced cost to other commercially available dedicated launch options. He has been pivotal in growing New Zealand’s $1.69 billion space industry, which as of 2019 supported around 12,000 jobs nationally, both directly and indirectly. Sir Peter was the driving force behind a Technology Safeguards Agreement between New Zealand and the United States, enabling the use and secure management of sensitive US space launch and satellite technology in New Zealand.