While the world rightly shows angst over the missile capabilities a US private form, Rocket Lab. last week successfully launched its 56-foot-tall Electron rocket for the first time.
The relatively tiny vehicle designed to ferry small payloads to orbit reached outer space around 20 minutes past midnight (Eastern time) on May 25th. Rocket Lab opened its 10-day launch window on May 21st and had to scrub three times due to poor weather conditions. Now that Electron was finally able to head outside our planet’s atmosphere, the company also became the first to launch an orbital-class rocket from a private facility.
Rocket Lab’s mission is to remove the barriers to commercial space by providing frequent launch opportunities to low Earth orbit. Rocket Lab’s customers include large traditional players, like NASA, and newer companies, like Moon Express, Spire and Planet. Generally, our customers are looking to conduct scientific research, collect weather and maritime data and provide internet, positioning (GPS) and earth imaging services from space.
Rocket Lab is a private company in LA, with major investors including Khosla Ventures, Bessemer Venture Partners, Data Collective, Promus Ventures, Lockheed Martin and K1W1. Members of the public are not permitted to visit the Launch Complex on a casual basis. Access to the Launch Complex is via a private road. As the site is operational and there are safety hazards present, Rocket Lab takes any instances of trespass seriously.