Launch News New Zealand's First Orbital Launch: Rocket Lab's Electron "Test" (May 25, 0030 UTC)

[Nicholas Kang]

New Zealand's First Orbital Launch: Rocket Lab's Electron "Test" (May 25, 0030 UTC)

Press Kit: https://www.rocketlabusa.com/assets/Uploads/Its-a-Test-Press-Kit2.pdf

Rocket Lab is set to send its first Electron rocket into space. Officially labeled by the company as “It’s a Test”, the launch will occur at the firm’s private Launch Complex 1 in Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand. The company has a 10-day launch window starting at 9:00 a.m. NZST on May 22 (5:00 p.m. EDT / 21:00 GMT on May 21), 2017, to get the vehicle off the ground.

The rocket will be tasked with entering an 83 degree elliptical orbit of 300 x 500 km in its inaugural flight.

“It’s a Test” will not be carrying any payload but, instead, will be collecting data. The company intends to test fly three times before any commercial payload will be packed into its custom all-carbon composite, plug-in payload fairing.

Latest Launch Date:

An aerial view of Rocket Lab’s Launch Complex 1 launch site in Mahia, New Zealand. Credit: Rocket Lab

LC-1 was officially opened on 26 September 2016. Launches from Māhia Peninsula means a wide range of available orbital inclinations to launch into – with various Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO) flights to various inclinations ranging between 39 and 98 degrees available. The remote location on the Mahia Peninsula in New Zealand reaches the widest range of orbital azimuths of any launch site globally.

The Māhia Peninsula – New Zealand’s first orbital launch site – also offered less interaction with standard aviation routes, allowing the site to be licensed for up to 100 flights per year with a maximum flight rate of one launch every 72 hours.

Rocket Arrival Video:

Source:

Nasaspaceflight.com
Spaceflightinsider.com
Rocketlabusa.com

Godspeed and Good luck! :thumbup:

 

[Kyle]

Pretty bummed that they're not doing a webcast

 

[fred18]

I d like to make the addon but i can t find any mass info, any help? Empty and fuel masses of stages
Since they are in carbon fiber i can t use historical data to guess

---------- Post added at 20:22 ---------- Previous post was at 20:19 ----------

Nevermind, just found it:

http://www.b14643.de/Spacerockets_1/Rest_World/Electron-NLV/Description/Text.htm

 

[RGClark]

Rocket Lab reaches space, but not orbit, on first Electron launch by Jeff Foust — May 25, 2017
http://spacenews.com/rocket-lab-reaches-space-but-not-orbit-on-first-electron-launch/


Bob Clark

 

[Notebook]

BBC aticle:

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

 

[IronRain]

Spaceflight101.com: Maiden Electron Launch Cut Short by Faulty Ground Equipment