Brothers Stefan and James Powell refer to their business as providing the future infrastructure of space.
Dawn Aerospace helps customers who want to get into orbit and space - whether for surveillance of crops or emissions, to check the potential for asteroid mining or to provide satellite services for mobile phones.
The two services Dawn Aerospace provides include satellite propulsion - a system that includes thrusters, fuel tanks and control systems - and its own rocket-powered space plane called the Aurora Mk-II.
Last year they successfully launched and landed the prototype version of the plane near Aoraki Mount Cook.
They founded the company in 2017 alongside three other engineers and the company is mostly based out of Christchurch, with some staff in the Netherlands and the US.
The pair are up for a New Zealander of the Year award - in the innovation category.
Stefan is chief executive at Dawn Aerospace and James is chief financial officer and chief engineer.
Photo: CHARLOTTE ROWLANDS
