Monday, April 12, 2021

Rocket Lab To Attempt Booster Recovery

Long Beach-based Rocket Lab is looking to boost reusability of its rockets, by recovering the booster from one of its next launch, the company said last week. According to Rocket Lab, it will attempt to bring a rocket back from space at a launch in May 2021 from Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand. Rocket Lab says it will slow the Electron launch vehicle down from its normal greater than Mach 8 speeds as it re-enters the earth's atmosphere, and splash the rock down in the ocean. The company said the mission will be a major step in making its launch vehicle reusable. Rocket Lab said the "Running Out of Toes" mission is one of three, planned ocean splashdown recovery missions.