Rocket Lab Launcher

No recovery on today’s mission. Next recovery in the new year.
 
View: https://twitter.com/rocketlab/status/1309215910729670656


In the past 3 weeks we've been testing Photon First Light's capabilities & verifying tech for exciting future missions. It's with this spacecraft's levelled-up sibling (the high-energy, interplanetary Photon) that we'll to go to the Moon for NASA and onto Venus in search of life.
View: https://twitter.com/rocketlab/status/1311391056206807040


Our 1st Photon satellite has been in orbit for more than a month now! First Light has settled into an altitude of 538 km, completed about 500 orbits & covered more than 14 million km. Meanwhile, our team has been busy testing Photon systems for our upcoming Moon & Venus missions.

View: https://twitter.com/rocketlab/status/1311392187670605824


With this 1st Photon we're testing tech for exciting future missions of First Light’s levelled-up sibling, the high-energy, interplanetary Photon. It's with this spacecraft version that we'll head to the Moon next year for @NASA & later onto Venus to support the search for life.
 
 
View: https://twitter.com/peter_j_beck/status/1380278067092881408


We will have the recovery camera aboard the next flight. Keep posted for some more cool footage of Electron coming home.
View: https://twitter.com/peter_j_beck/status/1381461858406699009


Hold on tight....These separation locks hold back the many tons of force from the drogue chute as it deploys on the next Electron reusability test.
View: https://twitter.com/rocketlab/status/1382430479509463043


Electron is in for quite the ride on our next mission as we work toward reusability
 
View: https://twitter.com/rocketlab/status/1389316653150720000


Our next mission is a major step toward making Electron a reusable rocket. So how are we going to bring a rocket back from space?

Check out the full mission info: bit.ly/3teAmt3
View: https://twitter.com/rocketlab/status/1390111123899256832


Payload integration has wrapped up in the cleanroom at Launch Complex 1! The two satellites on our 20th mission #RunningOutOfToes will join
@BlackSky_Inc's growing Earth-monitoring constellation in LEO. @LeoStellaLLC @SpaceflightInc
 
View: https://twitter.com/rocketlab360/status/1392005443740962821


It looks to me that the fairing and/or second stage will fly in a special configuration!

Unknown to me on whether this is an extended fairing, a special or double kick stage, or a special second stage.

See the difference between previous (left) and upcoming mission (right):

View: https://twitter.com/hugo_blair/status/1392036797308309508


I would say that this is the double kick stage variant. You can see on the latest payload users guide that the dual variant has clasps that no other variant has. You can see these clasps on the electron on the pad. This electron is also launching two black sky satellites that....

View: https://twitter.com/hugo_blair/status/1392037032063488002


....need to be in specific orbits. This would be the perfect use case for two photons.
 
View: https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1392178673617444875


Rocket Lab is hosting a call with CEO Peter Beck about the company's next Electron launch, which is scheduled for no earlier than May 15, and an update on its plans to recover this rocket booster with an ocean splashdown.

Thread:

View: https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1392178999791702027


Rocket Lab announced last month that its 20th flight would feature its second booster recovery attempt:

View: https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1392179431997906947


Here's a more detailed overview of the "Running Out Of Toes" mission profile:

View: https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1392180107540930568


What's new with this recovery attempt?

Beck: "Really what we're trying to do here is get into a bit of a cadence with our reusability missions and work through some logistics."
 
View: https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1392180508147191812


Beck: For this recovery "we've also introduced what the team calls ORCA – I think it's a terrible name, but the team loves it – Ocean Recovery and Capture Apparatus."

View: https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1392180939191640065


Beck: "This mission also has a bunch of reused components from the last reusable mission" which have been requalified for flight, a process Rocket Lab will continue to expand with future missions.

View: https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1392181311578808321


Beck says Rocket Lab will conduct a third splashdown recovery mission before the end of the year, which will feature "a block upgrade" to Electron, including "an improved decelerator."

View: https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1392181985980919816


Beck, on his confidence in Rocket Lab's reusability progress:

"We are kind of more bullish on this than ever before. I mean, there is just nothing like getting a rocket back and putting it in the factory."

View: https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1392182551482150912


Beck says the condition of the first Electron booster recovered last year "was remarkable," and they've introduced multiple upgrades to the booster for this second attempt, including thermal protection systems in high temperature areas.
 

 
I think Scott Manley is right in his March Video
seems that Rocket-lab is building a successor to Antares rocket of Northrop/Grumman
or better say the Ukraine build first stage with Russian engines with solid booster build by Orbital ATK.
it would make sense to they replace that rocket by US build rocket,
But Northrop/Grumman outsource that to Rocket lab is a Surprise, at first !
on second look this is best what they could do, because there specialised in Solid rocket motors (see OmegA)

I think that Electron will build just like Neutron out carbon fibre but covert thin multi layer Aerogel graphite composite.
that make it look like metal, also that use electric powert Rocket engine
probably power by gas turbine using propellants, what give more power as batteries packs
 
The latest video from Rocket Lab (RKLB) introducing their Neutron Rocket, posted this morning (2-Dec-2021).
 
this will be hell of rocket also he mention reuse Second stage

i wonder is Peter Beck a bond fan ?
38mnw1g0sy151.jpg
 

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