Rocket Lab

Early Tuesday morning Rocket Lab attempted its eighth launch of 2023 out of New Zealand. Sadly this mission would not make it to orbit after suffering a failure during flight.

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?

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.

Late last night, Rocket Lab conducted its seventh rocket launch of the year. This mission, named “Baby Come Back,” involved a rideshare of several CubeSats into orbit from New Zealand. The launch concluded with the successful recovery of the booster of the Electron rocket.

In Rocket Lab’s most secretive launch yet, they went sub-orbital. Utilizing its new Hypersonic Accelerator Suborbital Test Electron (HASTE), the company performed its first test of this new launch vehicle.

This week Seth and Jared discussed the milestone launch of SpaceX’s 200th consecutive Falcon 9 rocket without a failure. The big question is, will there ever be another failed launch from SpaceX?

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Late Thursday night, an Electron rocket lifted off from LC-1A at Rocket Lab’s private spaceport in New Zealand. On top were the final two TROPICS CubeSats of NASA’s new hurricane hunting constellation.

After months of speculation, potential, and disappointments, Virgin Orbit’s fate has been sealed. It will go down in history as a company that revolutionized an industry that it eventually couldn’t keep up with.

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.

The second most prolific US launch provider behind SpaceX has launched four missions so far this year and is set to launch much more with the company ramping up the production of its Electron rocket. The company hasn’t had an official goal like SpaceX going into the year, but after Tuesday’s earnings call, the bar has been set at 15 Electron launches for Rocket Lab.

During Tuesday’s Q1 earnings call, Rocket Lab announced it was getting another NASA launch contract, taking it from another SmallSat launcher due to long delays. That mission is NASA’s first satellite swarm and will test technology for a future constellation.

Sunday evening, on a mission dubbed “Rocket Like a Hurricane,” Rocket Lab lifted off from LC-1B at its private spaceport in New Zealand with two NASA satellites designed to study hurricanes. This is the second launch of NASA’s TROPICS mission but the first with Rocket Lab and the first pair of satellites to reach orbit.

We’re back with another busy launch week dominated by SpaceX but with a big NASA mission out of New Zealand this weekend. Check out what is launching below.

Rocket Lab announced Wednesday that they would take another big step in reusability, one of their most important, to re-fly its first flight-proven engine. The flight is guessed to take place later this year.

Unless you’re a night owl, you probably missed that last night Rocket Lab launched its third Electron rocket of the year and carrying its final contracted mission for satellite builder BlackSky. This mission also featured the year’s first recovery mission for Electron’s first stage.

We have another busy week ahead with four launches scheduled around the globe, all from different companies. Check out below to see what is launching.

Thursday evening Rocket Lab launched once again from its Virginia launch site at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility. This was the company’s second launch of the year, both coming from LC-2.

Last week, the US saw the second biggest bank closure in history, with the FDIC taking over Silicon Valley Bank. While SVB specialized in tech startups, space companies also used the bank, including Astra, Rocket Lab, and more.