Just Like an Aerial Claw Game…With a Rocket

Rocket Lab, after 22 missions building experience, testing systems, and planning, has confirmed that it will finally aim for its longtime goal: Plucking a returning rocket booster from mid-air while it returns to Earth after a successful launch. Previous Electron Rocket missions have seen helicopter shadowing and tracking to prepare for the operation, but the next recovery operation would see all previous lessons culminate in one. 

The reusable rocket system has been popular with most launch service providers, allowing for more economical, sustainable operations in sum total. The expense of disposable boosters is done away with, but retrieval from sparse, deserted land or vast ocean expanses bring with them different challenges before a successful return to service. In the previous flight on November 18, the “Love at First Insight” mission, Rocket Lab achieved a controlled splashdown and ocean recovery as their helicopter tracked the booster’s trajectory. The engineers reached the stage within 80 minutes of lift-off, cutting previous response times in half. The rocket was brought back to their production comprex in Auckland, New Zealand for analysis, inspection, and preparation for future operations. 

Rocket Lab feels comfortable with all aspects in their chain of recovery, it seems, as they attempt to obtain the brass ring of reusable rocketry.

Their recovery helicopter will include auxiliary fuel tanks for longer range and extended airtime during the attempt, with backup recovery vessels stationed at sea. The helicopter will aim to return the descending booster to the mainland while rigged to the aircraft for later upgrade.

“As one of only two launch companies to repeatedly recover orbital-class boosters from space, we’re ready to take the final step and begin collecting them mid-air with a helicopter to race us closer to launch, catch, repeat with the world’s first reusable, orbital-class commercial small rocket. A reusable Electron means more rockets and launch opportunities for better access to space for satellite customers, and I’m proud of the Rocket Lab team for continuously pushing the industry forward as the leaders in dedicated small launch," said CEO Peter Beck.

FMI: www.rocketlabusa.com