Website | |
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Address | PO Box 107121 Auckland Airport 2105 |
Phone | +64 9 373 2721 |
Fax | +64 9 373 2721 |
Organisation Summary
This crew blasted onto the front page in November 2009, with the launch of Atea-1, a rocket designed to reach the sub-orbital regions of space.They announced a new small-payload LEO rocket, Electron, in July 2014 – with first launch anticipated for 2015. During the announcement they also launched a new www.rocketlabusa.com website as well as investment funding from Khosla Ventures.
Products & Services
- Electron: Small-payload LEO rocket
- Announced 29 July 2014.
- Infographic:
- Atea-1 Suborbital rocket: 2kg payloads up to 150km altitude.
- The first launch took place 30 November 2009, and was a partial success. The booster section was recovered a few days after launch, but the payload and avionics section was never recovered.
- Atea-2 Suborbital rocket: 25kg payloads up to 250km altitude.
- Hi-Tac High Temperature Ablative Coating
- HI-NOZ High Temperature Rocket Nozzle Bulk Moulding Compound
- Liner Bond EPMD Insulation Bonding Resin
- Hybrid 90A Hybrid Rocket Propellant
- Instant Eyes Rocket deployed surveillance system
Key Staff or Stakeholders
- Peter Beck, CEO/CTO
- Ralph Shale: CFO
- Brent Marvin: Design Engineer
- Peter Barlow: Test Engineer
- Shuan O'Dononell: Electronic Systems
- Adam Berry: Propellant Chemist
Press & Articles
Press Release: Rocket Lab Poised to change the Space Industry
... Electron is 18m in length, 1m diameter and will weigh more than 10 tons. This will be the first vehicle of its class capable of delivering payloads up to 100kg into low Earth orbits ...
- Related press articles/videos:
Kiwi's rocket 'redefines' space industry (2014-04-29, ONEnews)
Kiwi company looks to the sky (1:53) (2014-04-29, ONEnews)
Rocket Lab: Official Video (2014-07-26)
Rocket Lab: VIP Unveilling (2014-07-28)
Big lift for Kiwi Rocket firm (2014-07-30, NZ Herald)
- Related press articles/videos:
- Kiwi rocket trials new form of propulsion (2012-11-13, TV3) (Article)
... In fact, it's a thixotrope – something that’s safe and solid while inert, but turns into a liquid when force is applied. ...
- Rocket Lab Instant Eyes (2011, PopSci Top 100 Innovative Technologies)
Today’s hand-deployed UAVs can be assembled and launched in minutes, but that’s still too long for a soldier looking for intel to plan an urgent escape. Rocket Lab’s mini UAV reduces the assembly-to-reconnaissance time to 20 seconds. The eight-inch, one-pound, rocket-powered UAV launches with the push of a button and snaps five-megapixel shots throughout the 120 seconds it takes to parachute 2,500 feet back to Earth, transmitting them by encrypted Wi-Fi to the soldier’s phone, tablet or laptop. Once the UAV hits the ground, it self-destructs.
- Space company sells its rocket technology to US (2010-12-01, NZ Herald)
Rocket Lab said it had signed a deal with L2 Aerospace, a company focused on developing innovative flight systems, technologies and solutions for the commercial, civilian and military markets.
- Local rocket buffs catch Nasa's eye (2010-09-12, NZ Herald)
Beck told the Herald on Sunday that Rocket Lab had received a research grant from the US Office of Naval Research to study new rocket propulsion methods and fuels.
- NZ rocket launches into space (2009-11-30, NZ Herald)
New Zealand's first space rocket has launched this afternoon.
The Atea-1 took off from its launch site at Great Mercury Island just before 3pm, after technical problems delayed this morning's planned launch.
Atea-1 Launch Video