Rocket Lab succeeds in placing three satellites in orbit on second test launch
Capitalism in space: The small rocket company Rocket Lab successfully placed three smallsats in orbit on the second test launch of its Electron rocket yesterday.
I have posted the video of the launch below the fold. Everything unfolded smoothly and without any issues, including the video feed. This success bodes well for Moon Express’s effort to win the Google Lunar X-Prize, which has a deadline the end of March. Though Rocket Lab had said it wants to do three test launches before initiating commercial services, they have already initiated those services with the placement of three satellites by two customers on this launch yesterday. They have also hinted that if this launch was a success they might accelerate commercial operations.
In addition, ULA successfully launched a military satellite on two days ago with its Atlas 5 rocket. The 2018 launch stands are thus as follows:
4 China
2 ULA
1 SpaceX
1 Rocket Lab
1 Japan
1 India
I should add that though the U.S.’s total matches China at the moment, the government shut down prevents any further U.S. launches. It also prevents SpaceX from doing its Falcon Heavy static fire test. (I wonder: would this be an issue if SpaceX was launching from its private launchsite at Boca Chica?)
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In 2020 when the world panicked over COVID I wrote that the panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Only in the past year have some of our so-called experts in the health field have begun to recognize these facts.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
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Capitalism in space: The small rocket company Rocket Lab successfully placed three smallsats in orbit on the second test launch of its Electron rocket yesterday.
I have posted the video of the launch below the fold. Everything unfolded smoothly and without any issues, including the video feed. This success bodes well for Moon Express’s effort to win the Google Lunar X-Prize, which has a deadline the end of March. Though Rocket Lab had said it wants to do three test launches before initiating commercial services, they have already initiated those services with the placement of three satellites by two customers on this launch yesterday. They have also hinted that if this launch was a success they might accelerate commercial operations.
In addition, ULA successfully launched a military satellite on two days ago with its Atlas 5 rocket. The 2018 launch stands are thus as follows:
4 China
2 ULA
1 SpaceX
1 Rocket Lab
1 Japan
1 India
I should add that though the U.S.’s total matches China at the moment, the government shut down prevents any further U.S. launches. It also prevents SpaceX from doing its Falcon Heavy static fire test. (I wonder: would this be an issue if SpaceX was launching from its private launchsite at Boca Chica?)
Readers!
Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black. Your support allows me the freedom and ability to analyze objectively the ongoing renaissance in space, as well as the cultural changes -- for good or ill -- that are happening across America. Fourteen years ago I wrote that SLS and Orion were a bad ideas, a waste of money, would be years behind schedule, and better replaced by commercial private enterprise. Only now does it appear that Washington might finally recognize this reality.
In 2020 when the world panicked over COVID I wrote that the panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Only in the past year have some of our so-called experts in the health field have begun to recognize these facts.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are four ways of doing so:
1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.
2. Patreon: Go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
3. A Paypal Donation or subscription:
4. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
P.O.Box 1262
Cortaro, AZ 85652
You can also support me by buying one of my books, as noted in the boxes interspersed throughout the webpage or shown in the menu above.
Great video!
Q:
At about 21:30 in this video–there’s a call for “hot-swapping,” and then a part of the rocket is ejected –to what does that refer & what are they doing at that point?
“Why The Electron Rocket May Be Cheapest Way To Get To Space”
Scott Manley 1-21-2018
https://youtu.be/U5k1mlu6A7I
5:55
Lots-o-factoids on the rocket. Very well done.
>”hot-swap,”– dumping depleted engine battery packs.
Looks like Rocket Lab launched more than 3 smallsats.
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/did-we-put-in-space-rocket-lab-boss-says-mysterious-payload-aboard-electron
From NSF:
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=43625.msg1775253#msg1775253
I’m expecting some feminist to get all upset because there were no women in the Rocket Lab control room…
Jordan B Peterson:
“Why so many Male Engineers and Female Nurses?”
https://youtu.be/d7uZOAzVRgU
3:12
Facinating!
I hadn’t paid attention to Rocket Lab and didn’t know about the electric turbo pump.
Funny that it’s RL and not Tesla’s sister company that chose to use electric motors and LI batteries to drive it’s pumps.
It’s been something the auto industry has kicked around – using an electric motor to drive a supercharger compressor rather than exhaust gas or a belt drive. The advantage is better control (no turbo lag) but the added cost/weight/packaging issues seem to have held it back.
I wonder how disposable rocket use affected the calculations – the batteries don’t have to withstand multiple charge/discharge cycles and the motor can also be designed for a limited lifespan.
Wonder how it will work out. If the small launcher market proves lucrative, I’d think Space X may be in a position to whip up a small launcher using 2 – 5 Merlins. They are mass producing (by rocket industry scales) Merlins and they have used (recovered) Merlins, so their engine cost should be quite low…
Mitch-
Good stuff!
The battery pack they jettisoned apparently weighs around 200 kg. (ref: Scott Manley video) and they do use an inverter in the loop.
Can someone dig into the specs on this? Do we know how much “electric” they need and for how long? (we’re going for amps, is that correct?)
btw: Excellent staging-video!
(I’d like more telemetry in the future, but not going to whine about it– great video all around!)
-Totally fanciful and I don’t want to distract from the actual reality of the success–(I got wrapped up in Tesla-Stuff on the science-channel yesterday…) could we ever beam electricity to a rocket in flight?
Willi
January 22, 2018 at 9:59 am
I’m expecting some feminist to get all upset because there were no women in the Rocket Lab control room…
Did you just assume their gender? Report to the re-education super fun camp.
http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Rocket_Lab_successfully_circularizes_orbit_with_new_Electron_kick_stage_999.html