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Rocket Lab

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Rocket Lab is a US SmallSat space launch and manufacturing company based in Long Beach, California. However, the company was founded in New Zealand by Peter Beck and has a large team of employees there.

Rockets

Rocket Lab operates two rockets commercially and is developing a new medium launch rocket. The company is recognized as #2 in the US commercial launch sector right behind SpaceX. However, there is a large gap between the two in numbers of launches per year, even excluding internal Starlink missions.

Electron

Rocket Lab currently launches its Electron rocket commercially and has had contracts with NASA, US Air Force and Space Force, and several commercial companies. While other companies attempted to compete against SpaceX and ULA in the medium to heavy lift markets, Rocket Lab has been attempting to corner the launch of smaller satellites.

Rocket Lab Electron rocket launching from LC-2
Image: Rocket Lab / Brady Kenniston

Electron is its primary rocket and first took flight back in 2017 but failed to reach orbit because the flight was terminated due to faulty ground equipment. In 2018, Electron launched for a second time and reached orbit, deploying three CubeSats for Planet Labs and Spire Global.

While Electron was not designed to be reusable, Rocket Lab has begun using parachutes and a heat shield on the bottom of the booster to recover it after flights. The company has reflown one of Electron’s first stage engines and plans to refly an entire booster in the near future.

HASTE

Rocket Lab has turned Electron into a sub-orbital hypersonic test vehicle called HASTE or Hypersonic Accelerator Suborbital Test Electron. Used to advance hypersonic technology for both the US Government and researchers, there isn’t much known about what is different between HASTE and a normal Electron rocket.

Neutron

Rocket Lab is also developing a larger rocket capable of competing for the vast majority of commercial contracts available. Called Neutron, the medium lift rocket will be designed from the ground up for reusability, landing the booster on a landing pad back near the launch site. Neutron is expected to first fly in 2024.

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Going public

In 2021, Rocket Lab joined several other space companies in going public via a SPAC merger. This gave the launcher about $777 million in additional funding to develop Neutron. While Rocket Lab has faired better than other “Space SPACs,” the company’s shares have dropped significantly since they became publicly available.

Rocket Lab has also expanded its offerings to more than just flights to space. The company develops its own in-house transfer stage and satellite busses. The company even builds solar panels through an acquisition it made in 2022.

This Week in Launch: Super Thursday? Rocket Lab, SpaceX, Russia, and China prepare for launches on the same day

On Thursday of this week we have a total of four planned launches from around the world from the biggest players in the space launch market. They include Rocket Lab’s first LC-2 mission in 2024, a crew rotation to the ISS by Russia, and a cargo resupply mission to the ISS by SpaceX.

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Varda Space finally gets approval to return its first mission from space

This week Varda Space received the nations first ever Part 450 reentry license from the FAA, green lighting its W-1 mission for touchdown in the Utah desert. After eight months in space the Varda Space built capsule and Rocket Lab built spacecraft bus will finally get its chance to return its crystal experiment to Earth.

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This Week in Launch: Rocket Lab and Virgin Galactic enter the chat

galactic 01, galactic 02, virgin galactic

This week Rocket Lab will reattempt its first launch of 2024 and possibly Virgin Galactic will fly Friday on one of its final missions before it goes quiet. For SpaceX however, this month has been far below its 13 launches a month goal, although this year’s start looks to be stronger than last year’s.

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This Week In Launches: SpaceX packs the week while Rocket Lab returns for another Capella mission

Dare I say this week is rather… boring? Both SpaceX and Rocket Lab are launching this week for a total of three missions which like a year ago would be cause for celebration. However, both companies are continuing their deployment of constellation satellites, leaving much to be desired on the excitement level, but should we really be complaining?

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This Week in Launches: SpaceX Crew-7 launch week, along with many other missions

This week has proven to be one of the most eventful in recent memory, featuring a flurry of activities including two launches to the International Space Station, four SpaceX launches, and four distinct rockets. From the Crew-7 rotation mission by SpaceX, a specialized SmallSat mission by Rocket Lab, to a rare Japanese launch, this week is poised to be action-packed.

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space explored podcast

Space Explored Podcast 64: Blue Origin gets help from NASA on an orbital crew system

This week Seth and Jared recap the week’s top stories like the first launch of Rocket Lab’s HASTE, Astra’s financial future, and more. Then the two deep dive into Blue Origin’s agreement with NASA to help in its development of an orbital crew system.

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This Week Ahead in Launches: Virgin Galactic returns to flight and more from SpaceX and Rocket Lab

This week is pretty exciting, with lots of activity from multiple companies and nations preparing to launch. However, the bigger story of the week will be Virgin Galactic’s return to powered flight with its VSS Unity spaceplane, its first powered flight since 2021.

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space explored podcast

Space Explored Podcast 59: Will Rocket Lab end up the only SmallSat launcher in town?

This week Seth and Jared discuss the week’s news with one important company continually making headlines, Rocket Lab. Will the company end up owning the SmallSat launch sector like SpaceX does with the medium to heavy lift launches? It sure seems like the new launch market has slowed down a lot.

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