South Canterbury precision engineering company MachineCraft has completed work on specialist components destined for the International Space Station (ISS), marking an important milestone for both the business and the South Canterbury Aerospace Strategy Group.
Venture Timaru Press Release,
Contracted by Asteria Engineering, MachineCraft manufactured twelve precision aluminium panels for scientific hardware being developed for a University of Canterbury space biology project led by Associate Professor Dr Sarah Kessans. The panels will form the primary interface between astronauts and the research payload aboard the International Space Station.
“These pieces will be the payloads ‘front panels,’ which will host a series of LEDs, buttons, and an LCD display to enable the astronauts to interact with our payload,” said David Wright, Principal Engineer at Asteria Engineering.
MachineCraft owner Andrew Geddes said the opportunity arose through connections established as part of the South Canterbury Aerospace Strategy Group, where Asteria Engineering Principal Engineer David Wright identified an immediate need for a local precision engineering partner to produce the highly specialised components.
Established by Venture Timaru, the South Canterbury Aerospace Strategy Group brings together local businesses already participating in, or seeking to enter, the growing aerospace sector, alongside industry partners and regional leaders. The group is focused on positioning South Canterbury as an active contributor to New Zealand’s expanding aerospace industry by strengthening industry relationships, increasing awareness of emerging opportunities, and connecting local capability with high-value aerospace projects.
A key strength of the group has been its close alignment with the wider Waitaha Canterbury Aerospace Strategy, led by ChristchurchNZ. Through this partnership, Aerospace Lead Emma Renowden has worked alongside Venture Timaru to connect South Canterbury businesses with Canterbury’s growing aerospace ecosystem by facilitating industry speakers, identifying collaboration opportunities, and ensuring the region is represented within the wider strategy. Venture Timaru Chief Executive Nigel Davenport also serves on the Waitaha Aerospace Strategy Steering Committee, strengthening the connection between South Canterbury and Canterbury’s long-term aerospace ambitions.
“Being involved with the Aerospace Strategy Group meant we were in the room when the opportunity arose,” said Geddes. “Without those connections, we simply wouldn’t have known the project existed. It shows the value of bringing local businesses together with people working in the aerospace sector.”
MachineCraft successfully manufactured the precision aluminium components, with vapour blasting completed by another Timaru business before the parts moved on for specialist finishing and final integration.
Asteria was impressed with the quality of the delivered products and subsequently signed up for another piece of work from MachineCraft said David.
“The communication was great too. They were transparent about any delays and issues that arose, noticing potential problems before they escalated and working with us at Asteria to find a workable, positive solution as soon as possible. We often develop novel technology here at Asteria, which frequently brings tough machining challenges, so we know production can present hurdles. The main things for us are transparency, communication, and determination from the manufacturer to find a good solution, and that’s exactly what we found with MachineCraft.”
“This is a genuinely significant moment for South Canterbury — a locally made component is going to the International Space Station. It’s proof that the precision engineering capability sitting in our district is world-class, and that when we connect the right people, our businesses can compete for work at the very top end of global industry.,” says Nigel Davenport, Chief Executive of Venture Timaru.
“MachineCraft’s story is exactly the outcome the Aerospace Strategy Group was set up to deliver — a local manufacturer, backed by our strong relationships with ChristchurchNZ and the Waitaha Aerospace Strategy, landing work that most businesses would never even hear about. As New Zealand’s aerospace sector grows, we want South Canterbury businesses positioned to win that work, says Davenport.”
MachineCraft’s work on the ISS components marks a significant milestone for South Canterbury’s advanced manufacturing sector, and a strong early proof point for the Aerospace Strategy Group’s ambitions.
“This won’t be the last time a South Canterbury business does work like this,” says Davenport. “What MachineCraft has shown is that the capability is here, the relationships are here, and now there’s a track record to point to. Our job is to make sure the next opportunity — and the many after that — finds its way to a local business.”
Read the article published by The Timaru Herald on Wednesday 19 August 2026
