The agency says this is to facilitate safety during the rocket launch and the risks from launch debris. A Hawke's Bay Today reporter and photographer near the Mahia rocket launch site this morning say there's been no sign of activity ahead of New Zealand's first attempt to launch a rocket into space. Rocket Lab, the American-New Zealand aerospace company that built the Electron rocket, had delayed the launch until today. If it's successful, it will be the first time a rocket has been sent into orbit from a private launch pad. Mission Control (MCC) is the technological hive of Rocket Lab where more than 25,000 data channels are processed during a launch #ItsaTest pic.twitter.com/wiJiEGt8CL — Rocket Lab (@RocketLabUSA) May 18, 2017Prime Minister Bill English says if the launch is successful it will be "an amazing achievement".

Source: New Zealand Herald May 22, 2017 18:23 UTC