New Zealand space launch

New Zealand space launch is first from a private site

An American company has launched a rocket into space from New Zealand, the first from a private launch facility.

Rocket Lab's 17m (56ft) Electron rocket took off from the Mahia Peninsula, in North Island, the firm said on Twitter.

The test flight was the first launch ever from New Zealand and is a major first step in an emerging market; launching cheap disposable rockets to carry small satellites and other cargo.

The company plans to start frequent commercial launches later this year.

Poor weather conditions had pushed the launch into the fourth day of a 10-day window and the Electron finally took off at 16:20 local time (04:20 GMT).

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-39971843

Edited By Ady1 on 25/05/2017 09:31:49

They were not overconfident of success? No press or spectators.

Space 'starts' from about a 100,000ft (c.20 miles). So maybe a bit further to go, yet, to get into a sensible orbit?

Thought the official 'boundary' was 100km (62 miles).

However, if it's a test flight, seems reasonable that they don't want anyone to watch. If the pre-production variant goes bang it'll scare off customers even when the cause can be cured before the production launches.

Regards,

Richard.

Two more test firings to go, then they expect about 30 launchings per year, Nasa is one of the customers.

There was a bloke from Boeing on TV tonight saying how others had tried and failed, and seemed to be saying that this will fail too, the big boys don't like it when a little guy comes into their game, and does better than they can.

Ian S C

NZ space rocket?

If it's fly by wire, let's hope they unfasten the fenceposts first.

Neil

Boo Hoo said N.Korea. How come you can launch rockets but we can't. Funny old world eh ?
BobH

Don't think NZ plan on fitting a nuke to the end of their fireworks, though.

Regards,

Richard

Well done America. All the super rich who have bought properties there in recent times

in case of war have just had there equity reduced.

Now you will be on the target list her flick.

I hope my family is safe on north shore.

Bri

Now I may be mistaken, but I seem to recall that there was at least one launching of a rocket by the Americans down in Canterbury (NZ) during the fifties or early sixties. Maybe there is some quibble about whether or not that one went into space or not, it certainly would not have put anything into orbit.

I don't think there is actually any particularly good reason to choose NZ for a launch site. If you want an equatorial orbit then near the equator is better.

John

More junk in our skies and the disposable junk in the pacific. Not really good news is it.

They say they want to do polar orbits with spacecraft launched with this rocket. The only real factor in determining where to launch for polar orbits is a good fetch of water to the east. As the rocket goes up, it naturally tends to drift off to the east, so it's better if no-one is there if something goes wrong, and having a big bit of water in the way tends to ensure that.

Regards,

Richard.

Just guessing but I'd say New Zealand has quite a few advantages for a US based rocket company. English speaking, politically stable, good infrastructure and communications, educated local recruits, inexpensive, and sufficient empty space if anything goes wrong. The only problem is that the place is apparently infested with Nazgul, Necromancers and smelly Hobbits.

The main reason for choosing NZ, is that it is a NZ company. Originally the wanted to use a site near Christchurch, but couldn't get resource consent from the local council, they did fire a test rocket from their proposed site at Lake Ellesmere. Quite a bit of the rocket is 3D printed, the rockets are being built in Auckland.

The satellites are about 100 mm cube.

Yes John the Americans, with the Canterbury Uni fired a number of rockets from the site where Rocket Lab fired their first test rocket. The earlier ones were for high altitude atmospheric research, up into the Ozone layer I think, prior to that the Americans did major research on the Ozone layer in the Antarctic during their pre WW2 expedition.

John, Motat better put in an order for a sample.

Ian S C

I suppose it depends on the definition of 'private launch facility' but Sea Launch is a commercial / non-governmental operation, and they had their first launches in 1999.

I think you'll find Sea Launch is not doing anything at the moment. It was formed by 4 companies; Norway, Russia, Ukraine, USA, and managed by Boeing. I think their last launch was in 2014.

Ian S C