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<\/p>\nRocket Lab has provided a significant update in the progress of their Neutron rocket, a vehicle aimed primarily at the small-scale interplanetary and low Earth orbit mega-constellation markets at first. <\/p>\n
Among the major updates announced by Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck were a complete switch of propellants, a firm Return To Launch Site landing plan with the elimination of down-range ocean landings, reveal of the building materials, and introduction of the new 1 Meganewton Archimedes engine.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
As previously announced<\/p>\n
Neutron was revealed earlier this year on March 1 as a 40 m tall medium-lift launcher with a 4.5 m diameter payload fairing and a payload capacity to a 400 km low Earth orbit of 8,000 kg. In addition, the rocket would be capable of delivering roughly 2,000 kg to lunar orbit and 1,500 kg to Venus or Mars.<\/p>\n
At the time, Neutron was slated to launch on its first mission in 2024 with initial missions planned from Launch Pad 0A at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport in Virginia. <\/p>\n
After boosting the vehicle toward orbit, Neutron\u2019s first stage was designed to land on floating platforms downrange from the launch site in the ocean for recovery and reuse. Landing tests were planned to occur during operational flights so that the rocket would be available to customers during the period in which Rocket Lab worked out the landing and recovery process.<\/p>\n
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The base of Neutron, with its static landing legs, and the rocket\u2019s stats behind Peter Beck (not to scale). (Credit: Rocket Lab)<\/p>\n
Also among the elements announced for the rocket was the intention to allow Neutron\u2019s design to eventually support human spaceflight activities \u2014 both in terms of low Earth orbit space station resupply missions and crewed flights.<\/p>\n
Space Shuttle (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});<\/p>\n At the time, no crew or cargo vehicle was in development.<\/p>\n Additionally, Rocket Lab stated the vehicle would utilize RP-1 kerosene and liquid oxygen as its propellants but did not specify the to-be-developed engine the vehicle would use nor the number of engines on each of its two stages \u2014 though Beck did tell NASASpaceflight later that it would be the \u201cleast amount of engines practical.\u201d<\/p>\n Beck further said that Neutron would be capable of lifting 98% of all satellites forecast to launch through 2029 \u2014 potentially including batches of Rocket Lab\u2019s own Photon satellites.<\/p>\n December 2 update<\/p>\n Today\u2019s update announced several major and significant changes to the Neutron design, including the types of propellants it will use, its overall flight profile, as well as its composition.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n