Rocket Lab has returned to action with the second launch of its Electron rocket from the M\u0101hia Peninsula from the North Island of New Zealand\u2019s eastern coast. Several attempts to launch at the end of last year were scrubbed before regrouping for a new attempt \u2013 which was also scrubbed, due to a wayward boat, a technical issue and then the weather \u2013 before finally launching at 01:43 UTC on Sunday and appears to have been a success.\n<\/p>\n
Much like Vector Space \u2013 which is currently in small-scale suborbital testing with aims to enter the launch market next year \u2013 Rocket Lab caters to much the same market, offering small satellite users a dedicated launch system to eliminate ride-sharing requirements on the larger, more established launchers.<\/p>\n
According to the company\u2019s website, Rocket Lab lists its launch services with Electron as costing $4.9 million (USD) per flight.<\/p>\n
Rocket Lab\u2019s journey to its inaugural orbital launch began 11 years ago with the company\u2019s founding by CEO Peter Beck, a citizen of New Zealand.<\/p>\n
The first launch was technically a success in that initial parameters were met. However, it did not reach orbit, as was intended during the test flight in May of this year.<\/p>\n
Rocket Lab noted that engineers spent two months working through an extensive fault tree analysis, reviewing of over 25,000 channels of data collected during the flight in addition to extensive testing at Rocket Lab facilities in California and New Zealand.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n