Enlarge / The Electron rocket, covered in white protective material, lying on his launch pad on Wallops Island.
John Timmer
Update, 11:45 a.m. EST:
Rocket Lab had a two-hour launch window that would allow its Electron rocket to send its payload into its intended orbit. Unfortunately, the high altitude winds were above safe limits throughout the window. As a result, the launch was postponed. The launch window will open again at the same time tomorrow night, so we expect another attempt at that time.
The original cover follows.
On Sunday, RocketLab plans to send its small launch rocket, the Electron, into orbit from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, or MARS. The launch is scheduled for 6 p.m. EST; we've embedded a live stream below.
This will be RocketLab's first launch since MARS, and the first by a company not currently owned by Northrop Grumman, which has used the site for its Minotaur and Antares rockets. Prior to today, RocketLab conducted all of its launches from a site in New Zealand, where its Electron vehicles are built. MARS is located at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on the Virginia portion of the Delmarva Peninsula, which separates the Chesapeake Bay from the Atlantic Ocean.
RocketLab CEO Peter Beck told Ars the site provides access to some additional orbital trajectories that cannot be reached from New Zealand, and allows the company to compete with government agencies Americans who need US-based launches. . MARS was attractive in part because the lower launch cadence means there's less chance of scheduling conflicts.
That said, the launch experienced several delays from its originally scheduled date due to weather conditions, other events downstream, and a last-minute delay in the exchange of certain documents between NASA and the Federal Aviation Administration. The final hurdle was cleared yesterday, setting the stage for tonight's launch.
The launch will take place after sunset (the launch window is open between 6 and 8 p.m.) and should be visible from much of the northeast, weather permitting. The company has a map that shows viewing opportunities from as far away as Georgia, Ohio, and Maine.
The Electron is a small, lightweight rocket, light enough to be transported to the launch pad by a sturdy pickup truck. It can support payloads of up to 300 kg and is used to orbit a commercial radio frequency Earth observation satellite. Although initially designed to be expendable, RocketLab experimented with electron retrieval using a parachute system snagged by a helicopter. Today's rocket, however, will not be recovered.
Enlarge / The Electron rocket, covered in white protective material, lying on his launch pad on Wallops Island.
John Timmer
Update, 11:45 a.m. EST:
Rocket Lab had a two-hour launch window that would allow its Electron rocket to send its payload into its intended orbit. Unfortunately, the high altitude winds were above safe limits throughout the window. As a result, the launch was postponed. The launch window will open again at the same time tomorrow night, so we expect another attempt at that time.
The original cover follows.
On Sunday, RocketLab plans to send its small launch rocket, the Electron, into orbit from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, or MARS. The launch is scheduled for 6 p.m. EST; we've embedded a live stream below.
This will be RocketLab's first launch since MARS, and the first by a company not currently owned by Northrop Grumman, which has used the site for its Minotaur and Antares rockets. Prior to today, RocketLab conducted all of its launches from a site in New Zealand, where its Electron vehicles are built. MARS is located at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on the Virginia portion of the Delmarva Peninsula, which separates the Chesapeake Bay from the Atlantic Ocean.
RocketLab CEO Peter Beck told Ars the site provides access to some additional orbital trajectories that cannot be reached from New Zealand, and allows the company to compete with government agencies Americans who need US-based launches. . MARS was attractive in part because the lower launch cadence means there's less chance of scheduling conflicts.
That said, the launch experienced several delays from its originally scheduled date due to weather conditions, other events downstream, and a last-minute delay in the exchange of certain documents between NASA and the Federal Aviation Administration. The final hurdle was cleared yesterday, setting the stage for tonight's launch.
The launch will take place after sunset (the launch window is open between 6 and 8 p.m.) and should be visible from much of the northeast, weather permitting. The company has a map that shows viewing opportunities from as far away as Georgia, Ohio, and Maine.
The Electron is a small, lightweight rocket, light enough to be transported to the launch pad by a sturdy pickup truck. It can support payloads of up to 300 kg and is used to orbit a commercial radio frequency Earth observation satellite. Although initially designed to be expendable, RocketLab experimented with electron retrieval using a parachute system snagged by a helicopter. Today's rocket, however, will not be recovered.
Enlarge / The Electron rocket, covered in white protective material, lying on his launch pad on Wallops Island.
John Timmer
