Rocket Lab Announces New Reusable Rocket and Plans to Go Public
>The new model will deploy satellite mega-constellations and is 'capable of human spaceflight.'.
>Today, March 1, the California-based space company announced it has agreed to go public via a merger with a blank-check firm backed by private equity firm Vector Capital, a Reuters report explains.
>Shortly after that announcement was made, Rocket Lab also released a press statement unveiling plans for a new reusable rocket more than double the height of its Electron spacecraft at 131 feet (40 meters) tall.
>The new launch vehicle, called Neutron, is designed to carry 8 metric tons (approximately 18,000 lb) to orbit. Compared with Rocket Lab's current Electron rocket's ability to carry 660 lb that's quite a boost in load capacity.
>Rocket Lab says Neutron will have a fully reusable first-stage that will launch from an ocean landing platform, in a similar fashion to SpaceX's Falcon 9 booster.
>"Initially designed for satellite payloads, Neutron will also be capable of International Space Station (ISS) resupply and human spaceflight missions," the Rocket Lab press release reads, outlining Rocket Lab's sky-high (and beyond) ambitions.
https://interestingengineering.com/rocket-lab-announces-new-reusable-rocket-and-plans-to-go-public
Rocket Lab will put astronauts in the space before than SLS.
>The new model will deploy satellite mega-constellations and is 'capable of human spaceflight.'.
>Today, March 1, the California-based space company announced it has agreed to go public via a merger with a blank-check firm backed by private equity firm Vector Capital, a Reuters report explains.
>Shortly after that announcement was made, Rocket Lab also released a press statement unveiling plans for a new reusable rocket more than double the height of its Electron spacecraft at 131 feet (40 meters) tall.
>The new launch vehicle, called Neutron, is designed to carry 8 metric tons (approximately 18,000 lb) to orbit. Compared with Rocket Lab's current Electron rocket's ability to carry 660 lb that's quite a boost in load capacity.
>Rocket Lab says Neutron will have a fully reusable first-stage that will launch from an ocean landing platform, in a similar fashion to SpaceX's Falcon 9 booster.
>"Initially designed for satellite payloads, Neutron will also be capable of International Space Station (ISS) resupply and human spaceflight missions," the Rocket Lab press release reads, outlining Rocket Lab's sky-high (and beyond) ambitions.
https://interestingengineering.com/rocket-lab-announces-new-reusable-rocket-and-plans-to-go-public
Rocket Lab will put astronauts in the space before than SLS.
