Rocket Lab to unveil its completed Neutron launchpad by end of August
As part of a series of press releases in connection with the release of Rocket Lab’s second quarter financial report, the company announced that it is inviting shareholders to enter a sweepstakes for attending the official opening of its just completed launchpad at Wallops Island for its new Neutron rocket.
According to the announcement, the opening is scheduled for August 28, 2025.
Rocket Lab will randomly select ten (10) eligible entrants to win admission to the event. Eligible entrants are limited to U.S. citizens who are at least 18 years old and shareholders of Rocket Lab. Winners are responsible for their own travel and accommodation costs, and any other costs and expenses associated with traveling to and attending the event
The sweepstakes is a fun idea, but what is really significant is that the company appears to be continuing to meet its schedule for a first launch of Neutron before the end of 2025. If so it will be a major achievement, considering the company began work on this rocket in December 2021. To go from a blank sheet to launch in only four years is unprecedented. Normally it takes about twice as long to get a rocket to the launchpad.
Even if the launch date slips into the first quarter of 2026 the achievement will be spectacular.
Rocket Lab’s 2nd quarter financial report appears bright as well, noting a 36% increase in revenues from the previous year. While its rocket division continues to ramp up launches, the company has also done well diversifying into other space areas, from low Earth orbital constellations to deep space technology.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The print edition can be purchased at Amazon or from any other book seller. If you want an autographed copy the price is $60 for the hardback and $45 for the paperback, plus $8 shipping for each. Go here for purchasing details. The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
As part of a series of press releases in connection with the release of Rocket Lab’s second quarter financial report, the company announced that it is inviting shareholders to enter a sweepstakes for attending the official opening of its just completed launchpad at Wallops Island for its new Neutron rocket.
According to the announcement, the opening is scheduled for August 28, 2025.
Rocket Lab will randomly select ten (10) eligible entrants to win admission to the event. Eligible entrants are limited to U.S. citizens who are at least 18 years old and shareholders of Rocket Lab. Winners are responsible for their own travel and accommodation costs, and any other costs and expenses associated with traveling to and attending the event
The sweepstakes is a fun idea, but what is really significant is that the company appears to be continuing to meet its schedule for a first launch of Neutron before the end of 2025. If so it will be a major achievement, considering the company began work on this rocket in December 2021. To go from a blank sheet to launch in only four years is unprecedented. Normally it takes about twice as long to get a rocket to the launchpad.
Even if the launch date slips into the first quarter of 2026 the achievement will be spectacular.
Rocket Lab’s 2nd quarter financial report appears bright as well, noting a 36% increase in revenues from the previous year. While its rocket division continues to ramp up launches, the company has also done well diversifying into other space areas, from low Earth orbital constellations to deep space technology.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The print edition can be purchased at Amazon or from any other book seller. If you want an autographed copy the price is $60 for the hardback and $45 for the paperback, plus $8 shipping for each. Go here for purchasing details. The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
There is the case of Falcon 1, which had its first launch almost exactly four years after SpaceX was founded (March 14, 2002) — March 25, 2006, And, it had actually reached the launch pad the previous October, when SpaceX had first hoped to launch it.
Now, it is unfair comparing anyone to a SpaceX accomplishment, and it is worth bearing in mind that Falcon 1 was only a small-class launcher, and a fully expendable one at that — not a mostly reusable medium class launch vehicle, as Neutron is. (Also, of course, that first Falcon 1 launch was a failure, having a fatal failure at T+26 sec. I think Peter Beck would like to do a bit better than that on hist first launch attempt.) So I think you are right that we should regard it as a remarkable accomplishment if they are able to stick to this schedule. Aside from possibly Stoke, they seem to be moving faster than any other launch company right now. I hope they can pull it off!