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  [Discuss] Rocket Lab's reusable Electron plans

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Author Topic:   [Discuss] Rocket Lab's reusable Electron plans
Robert Pearlman
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Posts: 48298
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 08-06-2019 05:30 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Please use this topic to discuss Rocket Lab's reusability plans for its Electron rocket and the advancements the company makes toward that goal.

oly
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Posts: 1369
From: Perth, Western Australia
Registered: Apr 2015

posted 08-06-2019 10:51 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for oly   Click Here to Email oly     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Some interesting information shared by Rocket Lab, I hope they achieve their goals.

If they achieve the launch frequency they indicate, it may be time that legislation is introduced to remove spent or unused hardware from orbit.

Robert Pearlman
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Posts: 48298
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 08-07-2019 06:53 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Peter Beck addressed that today, via Jeff Foust (SpaceNews) on Twitter:
Rocket Lab's Peter Beck, in space access session of the Small Satellite Conference: "We want to put a lot of stuff in orbit, but don't want to be the guy who goes down in history as the one who put a lot of junk in orbit. Deorbit upper stage on average of 4-5 weeks after launch.

Robert Pearlman
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Posts: 48298
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 11-19-2020 08:39 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Rocket Lab today (Nov. 19) staged its first attempt at recovering the first stage of its Electron rocket during its 16th mission, the "Return to Sender" launch.
The test will see Rocket Lab attempt to bring Electron's first stage back to Earth under a parachute system for a controlled water landing before collection by a recovery vessel.
From Rocket Lab (via Twitter):
Confirmation from Mission Control that both the drogue and main parachute on Electron's first stage have deployed successfully!

Splashdown of Electron's first stage confirmed! Recovery ops are underway and we'll bring you more soon.

The view of the main chute from Electron's first stage as it returned to Earth.

From Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck (via Twitter):
Have visual on floating stage.
From Rocket Lab (via Twitter):
The recovery crew is securing Electron's first stage and preparing to bring it back via ship to our production complex. Pics to follow once we have them!

Robert Pearlman
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From: Houston, TX
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posted 11-20-2020 10:08 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
From Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck (via Twitter):
Welcome back to Earth Electron!

Robert Pearlman
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From: Houston, TX
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posted 04-29-2022 01:02 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Rocket Lab video
The "There And Back Again" mission will see Electron deploy 34 satellites to a sun synchronous orbit for a variety of customers including Alba Orbital, Astrix Astronautics, Aurora Propulsion Technologies, E-Space, Spaceflight Inc., and Unseenlabs, and bringing the total number of satellites launched by Electron to 146.

"There And Back Again" is also a recovery mission where, for the first time, Rocket Lab will attempt a midair capture of Electron's first stage as it returns from space using parachutes and a helicopter.

The window opens at 2235hrs on April 29 UTC (1035hrs on April 30 NZST) [6:35 p.m. EDT] and the live webcast will start here approximately 25 minutes before lift-off.

Rocket Lab Update: The weather has improved through the week, but the forecast is showing the best wind and cloud cover conditions a few days from now, so we're targeting no earlier than 1 May UTC / 2 May NZST for launch.

Robert Pearlman
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From: Houston, TX
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posted 04-30-2022 06:44 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Rocket Lab update:
After a busy week of capture testing, and while we wait for weather to improve, we're taking an additional day for final helicopter and recovery system optimization ahead of our first mid-air capture attempt. We're now targeting no earlier than 2 May UTC / 3 May NZST for launch.

Robert Pearlman
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From: Houston, TX
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posted 05-02-2022 12:58 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Rocket Lab update
Welcome to launch day for "There And Back Again", a rideshare mission from Launch Complex 1 and our first helicopter capture attempt.

Target lift-off:

  • UTC | 22:35, May 2
  • NZST | 10:35, May 3
  • EDT | 18:35, May 2
  • PDT | 15:35, May 2

Robert Pearlman
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Posts: 48298
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 05-02-2022 06:12 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Rocket Lab update:
Helicopter catch! Stay tuned for more recovery details and payload deployment in around 50 minutes.

Robert Pearlman
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Posts: 48298
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 05-02-2022 06:53 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Rocket Lab update:
After the catch, the helicopter pilot noticed different load characteristics than we've experienced in testing, which of course, you do expect whenever testing in the field for the first time. At his discretion, the pilot offloaded the stage for a successful splashdown, where it has been recovered by our vessel for transport back to our factory.
From Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck:
Incredible catch by the recovery team, can't begin to explain how hard that catch was and that the pilots got it. They did release it after hook up as they were not happy with the way it was flying, but no big deal, the rocket splashed down safely and the ship is loading it now.

Headshot
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From: Vancouver, WA, USA
Registered: Feb 2012

posted 05-03-2022 10:01 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Headshot   Click Here to Email Headshot     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Any information as to what altitude the stage was "offloaded" from the helicopter?

I am puzzled as to why pictures of the stage dangling from the helicopter or being recovered from the water have not appeared.

Robert Pearlman
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Posts: 48298
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 05-03-2022 11:07 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I have not seen an figure for capture, but it was below 3.7 miles (6 km), as that is the altitude the main chute was deployed.

Though not a photo in flight or in the water, Peter Beck shared this image of the booster after it was loaded onto the recovery ship.

All times are CT (US)

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