Space Scholarship recipients set to jet off to NASA - Inside Government NZ

Seven postgraduate students were awarded the 2026 New Zealand Space Scholarship, earning three-month internships at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. Space Minister Chris Penk called the program a career-defining opportunity to work on real missions with scientists and engineers. Recipients are Wiseman, Xue, Doyle, Chai, Franssen, McCabe and Phillips from NZ universities. Penk noted the sector's growth, with revenue rising about 53% in five years to 2024, and described the scholarship as key to building a highly skilled, globally competitive workforce. He framed it as aligned with New Zealand's Space and Advanced Aviation Strategy, providing international experience before graduates return home.