{"id":18671,"date":"2018-01-20T21:37:15","date_gmt":"2018-01-20T13:37:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/rocket-lab-sends-electron-rocket-into-orbit-marking-milestone-for-moon-mission\/"},"modified":"2018-01-20T21:37:15","modified_gmt":"2018-01-20T13:37:15","slug":"rocket-lab-sends-electron-rocket-into-orbit-marking-milestone-for-moon-mission","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/rocket-lab-sends-electron-rocket-into-orbit-marking-milestone-for-moon-mission\/","title":{"rendered":"Rocket Lab sends Electron rocket into orbit, marking milestone for moon mission"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_391496\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-391496\" style=\"width: 630px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full-width wp-image-391496\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.geekwire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/180120-rocketlab1-630x455.jpg\" alt=\"Rocket Lab Electron launch\" width=\"630\" height=\"455\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.geekwire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/180120-rocketlab1-630x455.jpg 630w, https:\/\/cdn.geekwire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/180120-rocketlab1-768x555.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.geekwire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/180120-rocketlab1.jpg 940w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 630px) 100vw, 630px\"><figcaption data-nosnippet=\"\" id=\"caption-attachment-391496\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Rocket Lab\u2019s Electron launch vehicle rises from its launch pad in New Zealand. (Rocket Lab via YouTube)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Rocket Lab\u2019s two-stage Electron rocket successfully reached Earth orbit and deployed satellites for the first time today, raising hopes for far more ambitious missions to the moon.<\/p>\n<p>Today\u2019s mission, which went up from Rocket Lab\u2019s launch complex on the tip of New Zealand\u2019s Mahia Peninsula, followed up on the company\u2019s maiden launch last May&nbsp;\u2014 which sent an Electron into space but fell short of reaching orbit due to data transmission issues.<\/p>\n<p>This mission was nicknamed \u201cStill Testing,\u201d but unlike the first mission, the objective was not merely to test Rocket Lab\u2019s hardware. The rocket had the additional task of putting three nanosatellites in orbit: an Earth-imaging Dove satellite for Planet, and two Lemur-2 satellites that the Spire space venture would use for tracking ships and monitoring weather.<\/p>\n<p>Rocket Lab had to sit out a December launch opportunity due to weather worries and technical snags. Another chance for liftoff slipped away on Friday night PT (Saturday afternoon New Zealand time), primarily due to interference from a couple of boats that were sailing in an off-limits zone. But today\u2019s countdown went off without a hitch, and the Electron rose smoothly into mostly sunny skies.<\/p>\n<p>Cameras mounted on the rocket\u2019s exterior showed the ascent into orbit, all the way to the second-stage engine\u2019s shutdown and deployment of the satellites.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cVehicle is orbital,\u201d a member of the mission control team in Auckland reported. Cheers from other mission controllers could be heard in the background.<\/p>\n<p>https:\/\/twitter.com\/SpireGlobal\/status\/954906009507586048<\/p>\n<p>https:\/\/twitter.com\/SpireGlobal\/status\/954911681817145344<\/p>\n<p><iframe id=\"twitter-widget-0\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" allowtransparency=\"true\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" class=\"\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden; width: 0px; height: 0px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;\" title=\"X Post\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/Tweet.html?creatorScreenName=b0yle&amp;dnt=true&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-0&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=954895354360512513&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.geekwire.com%2F2018%2Frocket-lab-sends-electron-rocket-orbit-marking-milestone-moon-mission%2F&amp;sessionId=fdbaeaa601719c157ba41c31b6fdee8cd233f20b&amp;siteScreenName=geekwire&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&amp;width=550px\" data-tweet-id=\"954895354360512513\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\" data-twitter-extracted-i1782801619711463617=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">We&#8217;ve confirmed Dove Pioneer is successfully in orbit! More soon.<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Planet (@planet) January 21, 2018<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><iframe id=\"twitter-widget-1\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" allowtransparency=\"true\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" class=\"\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden; width: 0px; height: 0px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;\" title=\"X Post\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/Tweet.html?creatorScreenName=b0yle&amp;dnt=true&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-1&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=954907656841555968&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.geekwire.com%2F2018%2Frocket-lab-sends-electron-rocket-orbit-marking-milestone-moon-mission%2F&amp;sessionId=fdbaeaa601719c157ba41c31b6fdee8cd233f20b&amp;siteScreenName=geekwire&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&amp;width=550px\" data-tweet-id=\"954907656841555968\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\" data-twitter-extracted-i1782801619711463617=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Huge congrats to @RocketLab for achieving orbit \u2014 massive milestone for that team &amp; for the space renaissance! (&amp; thanks for putting a @planetlabs dove in orbit- we\u2019ve made contact &amp; satellite is &amp; v prelim orbit track looks good \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Will Marshall (@Will4Planet) January 21, 2018<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Rocket Lab is offering the Electron as a low-cost orbital launch vehicle for payloads in the range of 100 to 225 kilograms (220 to 500 pounds). The price tag for a mission is as low as $5 million, thanks to streamlined hardware production techniques. The Electron makes use of carbon composite materials for its rocket core, and 3-D printing techniques for its Rutherford rocket engines.<\/p>\n<p>The company, which has headquarters in Los Angeles as well as New Zealand, already has picked up contracts from NASA and Seattle-based Spaceflight for small-satellite launches. One of Rocket Lab\u2019s highest-profile customers is Florida-based Moon Express, which aims to use an Electron rocket to send its MX-1E lander on the first leg of its journey to the lunar surface.<\/p>\n<p>Co-founded by Seattle-area entrepreneur Naveen Jain, Moon Express is a leading contender in the Google Lunar X Prize competition, which would award $20 million to the first team to reach the moon, travel 500 meters and send back live imagery.<\/p>\n<p>The deadline for accomplishing the feat is March 31, and although the contest is coming down to the wire, today\u2019s successful launch signals there might still a chance for Moon Express to win the prize. In a tweet, Moon Express CEO Bob Richards offered \u201chuge congrats\u201d to Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck and the launch team for a successful launch.<\/p>\n<p>Even if Moon Express misses out on the Google Lunar X Prize, it intends to go ahead with commercial lunar missions. In an interview last July, Richards told GeekWire that Moon Express\u2019 bigger objective is to develop a \u201csolar system exploration architecture\u201d that would facilitate cargo shipments to and from the moon.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNobody invested in Moon Express to win a prize,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"LIFTOFF - LIVE New Zealand Rocket Lab Electron Testflight 'Still Testing'\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/IMibb62M1go?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen=\"\" data-ratio=\"0.5625\" data-width=\"800\" data-height=\"450\" style=\"display: block; margin: 0px; width: 800px; height: 450px;\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Rocket Lab\u2019s Electron launch vehicle rises from its launch pad in New Zealand. (Rocket Lab via YouTube) Rocket Lab\u2019s two-stage Electron rocket successfully reached Earth orbit and deployed satellites for the first time today, raising hopes for far more ambitious missions to the moon. Today\u2019s mission, which went up from Rocket Lab\u2019s launch complex on [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[291,4745,625,2910,416,544,3988],"class_list":["post-18671","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","tag-commercial-space","tag-electron-rocket","tag-moon","tag-moon-express","tag-planet-labs","tag-rocket-lab","tag-spire"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18671"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18671"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18671\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18671"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18671"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18671"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}