Rocket Lab unveils plan to land Neutron rockets at sea, 1st launch in 2025
The private space company Rocket Lab is on track to launch the first of its new reusable Neutron Rocket in the second half of 2025 and will eventually land them at sea, the company revealed.
Rocket Lab founder and CEO Peter Beck shared updates on Neutron during the company's Feb. 26 earnings call, saying its Neutron rocket will address the growing demand for launch services from defense, security, and science communities.
"We're working hard to bring Neutron online with one of the fastest development schedules in history for a new rocket, because we know medium-lift launch opportunities are limited and space access is being stifled," Beck said in a statement. "Neutron's debut launch planned for later this year will help to ease that bottleneck."
Additionally, Rocket Lab has unveiled a plan to modify an offshore barge, which they've named "Return on Investment." The modified barge will act as an ocean landing platform for returning Neutron missions.
"Our new landing platform will open space access even further by enabling even more mission opportunities that require maximum Neutron performance," Beck said.
Rocket Lab also introduced a new satellite product called "Flatellite," a flat satellite that the company says can be mass produced and tailored for large satellite constellations.
The satellites' flat shape allows them to be stacked for a launch. Because the satellites can stack, Rocket Lab says this will maximize the number of satellites per launch, with a seamless integration with their Neutron Rocket.
"The industry is hungry for versatile satellites that are affordable and built fast in high volumes," Beck said in a statement. "This is why we created Flatellite."
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The founder called the new satellites, "a bold, strategic move toward completing the final step in Rocket Lab's ultimate vision of being a truly end-to-end space company, operating its own constellation and delivering services from space."
Rocket Lab currently launches missions using their Electron, a two-stage launch vehicle for small satellites. Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space (iQPS), a Japanese satellite company, will use Electron for eight missions over 2025 and 2026. Rocket Lab announced the newest contract they inked with iQPS last week, as well.
"Electron's high launch frequency and reliability make it an ideal choice for our mission," iQPS CEO Dr. Shunsuke Onishi said in a statement. "This contract brings us one step closer to building our satellite constellation over the next two years, and we remain fully committed to making this vision a reality."
Rocket Lab says the next Electron mission for iQPS is scheduled as soon as this month.
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