The Defence Force wants to train more people in space operations after New Zealanders joined a US and allied space warfare meeting.
The Kiwi participation marked the first time all Five Eyes nations took part in a US Combined Forces Space Command (CFSCC) forum, Defence Connect reported.
The NZDF had no plans for a separate Space Command-type force, but told Stuff the Air Force would likely manage space affairs as a "cadre of trained personnel" was developed.
"We will likely seek further space training opportunities with our Five Eyes partners, other select nations, commercial space companies and academic institutions," a Defence Force spokesperson added.
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New Zealand personnel, during an online space training programme, had the chance to join the Combined Space Operations Centre teleconference.
The Defence Force said the teleconference was timely and useful for early training and learning requirements.
"We will likely seek further space training opportunities with our Five Eyes partners, other select nations, commercial space companies and academic institutions,"
"In the longer term as NZDF space capability and a cadre of trained personnel is developed, there will be necessarily an increase in engagement in the operational fora."
The US Space Command said New Zealand "space operations representatives" attended the forum where "coalition space strategy" was synchronised late last month.
The forum happened during heightened debate about the weaponisation of space, and soon after the resurrection of the US Space Force.
University of Otago politics professor Robert Patman said some members of the public might be concerned about New Zealand becoming entangled in an increasingly competitive military space arena.
But he said New Zealand, as one of very few countries in the world to have privately-launched satellites, had expertise probably of interest to other countries.
The US Space Force said the US, Canada, Australia, and the UK worked together at the Combined Space Operations Centre.
