News: Rocket Lab USA
Headlines from space publications, linked back to the original articles
Industry / News / Rocket Lab USA
- Weather and range issues delay first Electron launch from Wallops to January SpaceNews · 19 Dec 2022 Rocket Lab will have to wait until January for its next attempt at its inaugural Electron launch from Virginia after suffering delays because of weather and range issues.
- Upper level winds scrub first Electron launch from American soil NASASpaceflight · 18 Dec 2022 Rocket Lab, which has operated its Electron small-satellite launcher successfully from New Zealand since 2017, is about to inaugurate its first US-based launch site. After weather and paperwork-related delays, the missio...
- FAA clears Rocket Lab for first launch from U.S. spaceport Spaceflight Now · 17 Dec 2022 Rocket Lab said Saturday that the company received final approval from NASA and the Federal Aviation Administration to launch their first mission from the United States on Sunday, clearing final regulatory and technical...
- Rocket Lab’s Inaugural US Launch – Virginia is for Launch Lovers Space Scout · 16 Dec 2022 Rocket Lab is currently gearing up for its inaugural launch from the United States this weekend.
- Wallops officials look for growth in launch activity with Rocket Lab SpaceNews · 15 Dec 2022 The first Electron launch from Wallops will mark what spaceport officials hope is the start of a new era of increased launch activity there.
- NASA and Rocket Lab ready for first Electron launch from Wallops SpaceNews · 14 Dec 2022 After more than two years of delays, NASA and Rocket Lab are finally ready to conduct the first Electron launch from Wallops Island in Virginia on Dec. 16.
- Rocket Lab launches subsidiary focused on national security market SpaceNews · 1 Dec 2022 Rocket Lab USA is creating a separate entity to focus on U.S. defense and intelligence agency customers.
- Rocket Lab to launch remaining NASA TROPICS satellites SpaceNews · 25 Nov 2022 NASA has selected Rocket Lab to launch the remaining four cubesats of a constellation to monitor tropical weather systems after the first two were lost in an Astra launch failure.
- NASA Awards Launch Services Task Order for TROPICS CubeSats Mission NASA · 23 Nov 2022 NASA has selected Rocket Lab USA Inc. of Long Beach, California, to provide the launch service for the agency’s Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation Structure and Storm Intensity with a Constellation of Smallsats...
- HawkEye 360 to launch satellites on Rocket Lab’s first mission from U.S. soil SpaceNews · 9 Nov 2022 HawkEye 360's next three satellites will launch as early as December 7 on a Rocket Lab Electron rocket from a Virginia spaceport.
- Rocket Lab wins $14 million in contracts to supply hardware for U.S. military satellites SpaceNews · 9 Nov 2022 Rocket Lab USA won two contracts worth $14 million to provide separation systems for Space Development Agency satellites.
- Rocket Lab launches Swedish satellite, fails to catch booster SpaceNews · 4 Nov 2022 Rocket Lab successfully launched a Swedish atmospheric science satellite on an Electron rocket Nov. 4, but a telemetry problem kept the company from attempting a mid-air recovery of the rocket’s booster.
- Rocket Lab launches successfully, fails mid-air recovery attempt NASASpaceflight · 4 Nov 2022 Six months after its first first-stage recovery attempt, Rocket Lab tried its hand at booster recovery once again, with the launch of its 32nd mission, “Catch Me If You Can.” Liftoff took place on Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022,...
- Rocket Lab launches Swedish atmospheric research satellite, unable to catch booster Spaceflight Now · 4 Nov 2022 Rocket Lab’s Electron launcher placed a small Swedish atmospheric research satellite into an on-target polar orbit Friday, but an attempt to recover a booster stage with a helicopter was aborted after a brief telemetry l...
- Rocket Lab’s next launch will feature mid-air booster recovery attempt Spaceflight Now · 3 Nov 2022 Rocket Lab will try again Friday to catch an Electron first stage booster after launching from New Zealand with a small Swedish science satellite, six months after the company’s first mid-air recovery attempt.
- Rocket Lab to attempt booster recovery on upcoming Electron launch SpaceNews · 2 Nov 2022 Rocket Lab says it will make a second mid-air recovery attempt of an Electron booster during the launch later this week of a Swedish scientific satellite.
- Rocket Lab launches Argos tracking payload SpaceNews · 7 Oct 2022 A Rocket Lab Electron rocket launched a satellite Oct. 7 carrying a payload for U.S. and French government agencies that will track wildlife and collect other sensor data.
- Rocket Lab launches “It Argos Up From Here” mission NASASpaceflight · 7 Oct 2022 Rocket Lab has launched its 31st Electron rocket on the “It Argos Up From Here” mission from Rocket Lab’s private Launch Complex 1B (LC-1B), on the Mahia Peninsula in New Zealand. Liftoff occurred on Saturday, Oct. 8 at...
- Rocket Lab launches NOAA-funded satellite for wildlife tracking Spaceflight Now · 7 Oct 2022 Rocket Lab launched an Electron rocket Friday from its privately-run spaceport in New Zealand, boosting a 260-pound satellite into orbit on a $64 million NOAA-funded mission to relay environmental data from remote weathe...
- Rocket Lab launches Japanese radar imaging satellite on 30th Electron mission SpaceNews · 16 Sep 2022 Rocket Lab successfully launched a Japanese radar imaging satellite Sept. 15 as the company prepares for another attempt to recover and reuse a booster.
- Rocket Lab’s 30th mission delivers Japanese radar satellite into orbit Spaceflight Now · 15 Sep 2022 Rocket Lab’s 30th mission delivered the StriX 1 radar imaging satellite into orbit for the Japanese Earth observation company Synspective, beginning the deployment of a constellation of 30 commercial radar satellites pla...
- Rocket Lab launches “The Owl Spreads Its Wings” mission NASASpaceflight · 15 Sep 2022 Rocket Lab has made the company and the Electron rocket’s 30th flight. “The Owl Spreads Its Wings,” the company’s third dedicated flight for Japanese company Synspective, launched to Sun-synchronous orbit (SSO) on Thursd...
- Rocket Lab preps for 30th launch, makes strides in engine reuse Spaceflight Now · 13 Sep 2022 Rocket Lab is set to launch its 30th mission from New Zealand Thursday with a commercial Japanese radar remote sensing satellite. While the company does not plan to retrieve the Electron rocket on this mission, engineers...
- Rocket Lab signs on to U.S. military’s ‘rocket cargo’ program SpaceNews · 6 Sep 2022 Rocket Lab has signed a cooperative agreement with the U.S. military to explore the possibility of using its space launch vehicles to transport cargo around the world.
- Rocket Lab will self-fund a mission to search for life in the clouds of Venus Ars Technica · 17 Aug 2022 "Breakthrough science is possible."
- Beck: CAPSTONE demonstrates feasibility of low-cost interplanetary smallsats SpaceNews · 8 Aug 2022 Rocket Lab’s launch of a NASA lunar cubesat mission lived up to its name, serving as a capstone for the company’s efforts to develop end-to-end space systems and interplanetary missions, according to its chief executive.
- Rocket Lab’s launch cadence now “100 percent” driven by market demand [Updated] Ars Technica · 8 Aug 2022 "Our cadence today is 100 percent driven by market demand."
- Rocket Lab launches top secret payload for U.S. spy satellite agency Spaceflight Now · 4 Aug 2022 Flying the second of back-to-back launches for the National Reconnaissance Office, Rocket Lab placed a classified U.S. government payload into orbit Thursday after a liftoff from New Zealand. It was the third Electron ro...
- Rocket Lab launches classified mission for National Reconnaissance Office SpaceNews · 4 Aug 2022 A Rocket Lab Electron rocket launched a National Reconnaissance Office mission Aug. 4 at 1:00 a.m. Eastern. The NROL-199 mission lifted off from the company’s Launch Complex-1 at Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand.
- Rocket Lab’s Electron to launch NROL-199 mission NASASpaceflight · 1 Aug 2022 Rocket Lab is scheduled to launch the 29th Electron mission on August 2 at 05:00 UTC. NROL-199 will launch from Launch Complex-1B (LC-1B) at Rocket Lab’s launch facility on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand.
- NRO satellite upgrades delay the second of two back-to-back Rocket Lab launches SpaceNews · 28 Jul 2022 Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck: All the talk about responsive launch often ignores the reality that if satellites aren’t ready on time, they can’t take advantage of rapid launch capabilities
- Rocket Lab to supply solar power units for U.S. Space Force missile warning satellites SpaceNews · 27 Jul 2022 Rocket Lab's solar power business will supply solar cells for three missile-warning satellites that Lockheed Martin is building for the U.S. Space Force.
- Rocket Lab’s next launch for the NRO postponed for software updates Spaceflight Now · 18 Jul 2022 Rocket Lab’s next mission for the National Reconnaissance Office — the second of two back-to-back launches for the U.S. spy satellite agency — has been postponed to complete a software update on the classified payload, t...
- Rocket Lab launches first of two back-to-back missions for NRO NASASpaceflight · 12 Jul 2022 Rocket Lab launched its 28th Electron rocket on the “Wise One Looks Ahead” mission, also designated National Reconnaissance Office Launch (NROL)-162. NROL-162 is the first of two back-to-back Electron missions for the Na...
- NRO space missions mark new level of US-Australia cooperation SpaceNews · 12 Jul 2022 Two upcoming Rocket Lab launches for the National Reconnaissance Office will send to orbit classified spy satellites that the U.S. intelligence agency developed jointly with the Australian government.
- CAPSTONE probe overcomes radio glitch on course for moon Spaceflight Now · 10 Jul 2022 NASA’s CAPSTONE spacecraft, a miniature pathfinder for future lunar crew missions, has overcome a communications outage and performed its first course correction maneuver since a Rocket Lab propulsion module gave the pro...
- CAPSTONE heads to the moon SpaceNews · 4 Jul 2022 A NASA-funded lunar cubesat is on its way to the moon July 4 after a series of burns by a Rocket Lab transfer stage.
- CubeSat launches on scouting mission for NASA’s Artemis moon program Spaceflight Now · 28 Jun 2022 NASA’s $30 million CAPSTONE mission lifted off Tuesday on a Rocket Lab launcher from New Zealand, departing Earth on a circuitous but fuel-efficient four-month journey toward a halo orbit around the moon to test technolo...
- Rocket Lab sees payoff from CAPSTONE launch SpaceNews · 28 Jun 2022 The successful launch of a NASA lunar cubesat mission was the culmination of two and a half years of work at Rocket Lab that, the company’s chief executive says, could enable “ridiculously low cost” planetary missions.
- Rocket Lab & NASA launch CAPSTONE to the Moon NASASpaceflight · 28 Jun 2022 Rocket Lab has launched the CAPSTONE (Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment) satellite to the Moon. It’s the first official mission of NASA’s Artemis program that is seeki...