Players in the country's space sector are optimistic over recent election commitments. 

National and Labour are both promising to grow the aerospace industry, including trialling and testing new technologies. 

National will also appoint New Zealand's first Minister for Space, if elected. 

Rocket Lab Founder Peter Beck told Mike Hosking that the space industry isn't some future aspiration, it's current and it's booming. 

Beck says having a minister and a centre of focus to signal space is something we should invest in and is a good thing.  

He says the industry represents $1.7 billion annually. 

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