Rocket Lab is about to carry out the 50th launch of its flagship rocket, the so-called Electron. This construction, 18 meters high and two stages, made its first flight in May 2017 and, in its most recent mission – which took place on June 5 -, it deployed several small satellites for various commercial clients with complete success. .
This mission is the first of five launches dedicated to deploying a constellation of 25 satellites for the French Internet of Things (IoT) company Kinéis. And, today, is the day chosen for a new release that, luckily, can be see live anywhere as long as you have an internet connection.
A Rocket Lab launch that everyone can see
The launch of the mission, called “No Time Toulouse” from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand, is scheduled for 6:13 a.m. local time on Friday, June 21 (7:13 p.m. in Spain on Thursday, June 20). To follow it, you simply have to enjoy the company’s own YouTube channel:
Initially, the mission was scheduled for Wednesday local time, but unfavorable weather conditions They forced the team to reschedule the launch. If the weather does not improve, other launch opportunities are available over the next 10 days.
Rocket Lab is understandably excited at the prospect of seeing its Electron rocket ascend again. “Making it to the first launch is not guaranteed, so reaching 50 Electron launches is a huge achievement and a rare occurrence in the history of spaceflight.“, said Sir Peter Beckfounder and CEO of Rocket Lab, in a post on the company’s website.
A company moving forward to compete with SpaceX
Rocket Lab continues to consolidate its presence in the satellite launch sector, competing with SpaceX services – which use its Falcon 9 rocket -. As part of its expansion efforts, the firm we are talking about began launching from US soil in January 2023 and is also building a most powerful next generation rocketcalled Neutron, which in principle will be capable of transporting passengers.
Both Rocket Lab and SpaceX are positioned to play key roles in the future of the space industry. The capacity that both have to make frequent launches and its focus on reliability and accessibility have established a solid foundation for its continued growth.
Of course, SpaceX remains a pioneer in rocket reuse and launch cost reduction, allowing it to offer a broader range of services ranging from satellite launches to interplanetary exploration. The case is Rocket Lab is going to celebrate today its 50th launch with the Electron rocketwhich promises a very exciting future in everything that has to do with space exploration and development.
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