New Zealand company Rocket Lab is aiming to market the private space sector, is preparing for the second test launch of his missiles Electron. Next week, on Friday, December 8, will open the 10-day window within which the company expects to make the start. The rocket, just like last time, will be the new Zealand of the spaceport, located on the Peninsula of Mahia. For Rocket Lab this launch will be the first in which the company is going to broadcast live.
Despite the fact that the launch will be a test, it can also be called the first commercial for the company, as the Electron rocket will carry a payload in the form of a Dove topographic satellite company Planet and two satellites Lemur-2 company Spire: one for weather, the other for gps monitoring of floating vessels.
“It is both the second test and the first commercial launch for us. So we will try all to carefully track and still bring the payload into the desired orbit,” commented CEO of Rocket Lab’s Peter Beck.
The company expects that the launch may be lifted several times in order to select the most optimal weather conditions, but nevertheless it will take place.
Recall that the first test launch of missiles Electron took place on 25 may this year. He was partially successful, as the rocket went into orbit. Subsequent analysis of the telemetry showed that the missile fulfilled all that was required, but incurred short-term desynchronization in a correctly configured communications equipment has led to the fact that automation of the rocket, as it was prescribed in the event of such incidents, decided to interrupt the flight.
The company noted that all of these problems are already solved, and therefore, in the Rocket Lab expect that the second launch should go smoothly. It is also interesting to note that, in General, Rocket Lab has plans to hold three test run, but if all goes as planned, the third launch can opt out and go directly to commercial operations.
Private new Zealand aerospace company is preparing for the second test run
Nikolai Khizhnyak