US spaceflight startup Rocket Lab is nearly ready to launch its experimental Electron rocket again. The vehicle is now scheduled to take off from New Zealand sometime during a 10-day launch window that begins on December 8th. It’ll mark the second flight of the Electron as part of the rocket’s rigorous testing program, meant to ready the vehicle for spaceflight.
Rocket Lab has been developing the Electron for four years now in order to launch small satellites. At just over 55 feet tall, the vehicle is easily overshadowed by other major commercial rockets like SpaceX’s 180-foot Falcon 9. But that’s because Rocket Lab’s goal is to only launch payloads weighing between 330 to 500 pounds. The company is offering cheap launches, too, starting...
from TechFishNews http://ift.tt/2Aj9W1H
Comments
Post a Comment