Humanity is one small step closer to returning to the Moon this morning, thanks in part to some of New Zealand’s top scientific minds.

Last night Rocket Lab successfully released NASA’s CAPSTONE satellite ten’s of thousands of kilometres above the earth, setting it on a path to the Moon.

It was the company’s first foray into deep space, and ploughs a new path to the Moon, which astronauts are expected to follow in 2024.

Rocket Lab founder Peter Beck spoke to Susie Ferguson.