Rocket Lab successfully catches first stage with helicopter
Capitalism in space: In successfully placing 34 smallsat into orbit today using its Electron rocket, Rocket Lab also successfully caught the first stage with helicopter as it descending by parachute.
The screen capture to the right from the live feed shows that first stage on parachute just before the helicopter hook captures it. That helicopter is now returning to land with that stage, which it will then gently deposit for study and refurbishment. Though it is likely this first recovered first stage will not get reused, that possibility remains, and regardless this success points to the future reuse of all Electron first stages.
UPDATE: Because of “different load characteristics” than seen during previous tests, the helicopter pilot released the stage for safety reasons, while still over the ocean. The company was then able to recover it, but though they can now study it no reuse will be possible.
The leaders in the 2022 launch race:
17 SpaceX
13 China
6 Russia
3 Rocket Lab
2 ULA
The U.S. now leads China 25 to 13 in the national rankings, with the U.S. leading all other nations combined 25 to 22.
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Capitalism in space: In successfully placing 34 smallsat into orbit today using its Electron rocket, Rocket Lab also successfully caught the first stage with helicopter as it descending by parachute.
The screen capture to the right from the live feed shows that first stage on parachute just before the helicopter hook captures it. That helicopter is now returning to land with that stage, which it will then gently deposit for study and refurbishment. Though it is likely this first recovered first stage will not get reused, that possibility remains, and regardless this success points to the future reuse of all Electron first stages.
UPDATE: Because of “different load characteristics” than seen during previous tests, the helicopter pilot released the stage for safety reasons, while still over the ocean. The company was then able to recover it, but though they can now study it no reuse will be possible.
The leaders in the 2022 launch race:
17 SpaceX
13 China
6 Russia
3 Rocket Lab
2 ULA
The U.S. now leads China 25 to 13 in the national rankings, with the U.S. leading all other nations combined 25 to 22.
In order to remain completely independent and honest in my writing, I accept no sponsorships from big space companies or any political organizations. Nor do I depend on ads.
Instead, I rely entirely on the generosity of readers to keep Behind the Black running. You can either make a one time donation for whatever amount you wish, or you sign up for a monthly subscription ranging from $2 to $15 through Paypal, or $3 to $50 through Patreon, or any amount through Zelle.
The best method to donate or subscribe is by using Zelle through your internet bank account, since it charges no fees to you or I. You will need to give my name and email address (found at the bottom of the "About" page). What you donate is what I get.
To use Patreon, go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
For PayPal click one of the following buttons:
If these electronic payment methods don't work for you, you can support Behind The Black directly by sending your donation by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman, to
Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
P.O.Box 1262
Cortaro, AZ 85652
Caught it and dropped it. They had to fish it out of the water.
Almost
Evolutionary iteration(s).
You learn more from your mistakes & failures.
Or, you should.
The goal is robustness, not momentary glory.
Except for Boeing’s Starliner, we should accept failure in the same way that Nature accepts that not all Salmon make it up and over the waterfalls, on their way to the spawning grounds..
@GaryMike . . . yes, but do you want to be one of the salmon that doesn’t make it up the waterfalls to spawn?
That pilot will never buy another drink in their life: ‘Let me tell you ’bout the time I caught a rocket out of thee air with a helicopter’. A fantastic display of airmanship, as rotary-wing is less forgiving than fixed-wing if something goes sideways.
And if everything worked right the first time, we’d be living in a Progressive fantasy: and thankfully, the Universe will not allow that.
Big style points. Landing a rocket on land or barge is so 2021. I do wonder about taking that kind of risk when there is proven recovery tech that is safer.
There was talk of transporting Saturn V first stages by chopper…maybe capture. To this day, Russia still has the greatest lift record with that mammoth. We never beat that Sputnik moment. For shame!
Peter Beck has tweeted, though, that the engines “are going back to space, I reckon”. So perhaps the engines will be viable for reuse. No mention of the airframe.
Nice coverage–and I highly enjoy the Rocket Lab announcer-girl, in contrast to the highly annoying lady at SpaceX. (IMHO)
Excellent job catching the 1st stage, (I’m no Engineer, but it feels like that’s 95% of the Adventure unto itself.)
I haven’t watched this repetitively (yet)–from what vantage point is the camera for the parachute deploy?
“MLB: Almost Amazing Plays….”
https://youtu.be/3uQqYknJT4g
5:25