News
News
January 22nd 2010 - The Rocket Lab Newsletter for January was published. December 11th 2009 - The second stage payload section of the Ātea-1 launch has not been located via the satellite communication-based recovery system. At this point, Rocket Lab is hoping that a mariner spots the 1.8 metre section or it is washed up onshore. The first stage was recovered by a commercial fishing boat approximately 17 kilometres from the launch site 18 hours after lift-off. The Rocket Lab team are still reviewing the data but initial findings suggest that the booster was providing the expected thrust levels at launch and showing good, stable combustion for the full burn-time. The recovered booster also shows clean separation of the second stage. Calculations from the raw data obtained confirm that the vehicle was on course for a nominal trajectory to over 100 kilometres altitude. View launch photographs. December 1st 2009 - Manu Karere's launch has generated significant national and international media attention, including: BBC, TVNZ, TV3, NZPA, ABC Australia, NBR, Wired, MSNBC and CNN.
November 29th 2009 - Manu Karere, gear and the team starting setting up for launch on Great Mercury Island yesterday. Weather forecasts are looking good for the launch on Monday at 7.10am. The launch will likely be covered live on TV1 and TV3 on New Zealand television. November 20th 2009 - View Rocket Lab on Twitter for launch countdown information. November 19th 2009 - Local iwi Ngati Hei named the first rocket 'Manu Karere' which in English translates as 'Bird Messenger'. Ātea-1 is the name of the first rocket series. November 9th 2009 - In response to requests for Rocket Lab gear, t-shirts are now available for purchase online. The t-shirts come in a range of sizes and have a modern design, featuring the Rocket Lab logo and 'New Zealand Space Program' on the front and the Southern Cross on the left sleeve. November 1st 2009 - Final flight qualification tests were completed on the avionics package. The flight vehicle was purposely put into a complex flight profile including spin and pitch oscillations. The avionics package was able to resolve all of these complicated motions and make the correct decisions, resulting in a successful recovery of the test flight vehicle.
October 8th 2009 - The final ground test of Ātea-1 was completed and a Media Release was published. Rocket Lab is now progressing towards the first flight test. October 1st 2009 - Rocket Lab successfully completed the first flight qualification engine test fire for the Ātea-1 hybrid booster. The short duration test firing was aimed at initially confirming the exact performance of the hybrid booster engine and to provide data on the performance of all flight specification components and hardware. The booster test also served as a valuable simulation of manufacture, assembly, pre-launch, and launch procedures. This included confirmation and testing of the automated filling system utilised for tanking of Nitrous Oxide. Technical Director Peter Beck said, "This was the first booster test fire to involve an identical setup to the vehicle that will fly. The burn allowed the measurement and confirmation of important combustion parameters, such as chamber pressures, thrust and specific impulse. All sub-systems performed nominally and we are very excited with the high levels of performance shown." August 17th 2009 - The second boiler plate engine test was completed. August 5th 2009 - The first boiler plate engine test was completed. July 30th 2009 - Rocket Lab’s collaborative relationship with Air New Zealand Gas Turbines has resulted in completion of the test stand commissioning. Subsequently rocket engine testing has commenced at the Air New Zealand test cell facility. July 1st 2009 - Rocket Lab completed development of a new Liner Bond product, an EPDM insulation bonding resin. Extremely high peel strengths are achieved by Liner Bond between EPDM and carbon composites, aluminium alloys, steels and phenolic based composites.  May 6th 2009 - Rocket Lab completed a testing program for the characterisation of a new high regression hybrid rocket fuel. Technical Director Peter Beck said, "Regression rates and grain strengths exceeding HTPB based formulations were achieved. This allows for more intricate grain geometries and an overall higher performing propulsion configuration."April 17th 2009 -
The Minister for Research, Science and Technology, Hon Dr Wayne Mapp visited Rocket Lab's Auckland lab. March 18th 2009 - The Minister for Research, Science and Technology, Hon Dr Wayne Mapp and National Party List MP Aaron Gilmore visited Rocket Lab's Christchurch office. November 11th 2008 - Technical Director Peter Beck and the IRL Superconductor Team were awarded the Cooper medal during the Royal Societies annual science awards and dinner. The medal recognised Peter's involvement and work in developing new Superconductor technologies within the team. The Cooper Medal is made every two years to the person or persons, who in the opinion of the Selection Committee, publishes the best single account of original research in physics or engineering. Peter Beck said, "It was an honor to be recognised and serves as one of the highlights of my career; it was also a privilege to discuss and learn about some of the fantastic scientific and engineering achievements made by others." September 15th 2008 - Rocket Lab successfully tested its new low cost low shock 2nd stage engine separation system (LCLS). The system is located between the engine and recovery systems and serves to initiate ballistic recovery of the payload. The LCLS separates the engine casing within 90 milliseconds and provides a stable platform for recovery. Structures and Dynamics Specialist Nikhil Raghu said today, "The LCLS system operated as expected and is designed to be modular to enable other critical separation or deployment events with ease." August 29th 2008 - Nikhil Raghu gave a presentation entitled "Composites in Sub-Orbital Launch Vehicles" at the Composites Association of New Zealand "Opportunities and Solutions" conference. July 22nd 2008 - Mark Rocket was a speaker at the 10th Australian Space Development Conference in Adelaide. July 2nd 2008 - The third boiler plate engine test was successful and reached a peak thrust of 1,600 N. June 12th 2008 - The second boiler plate engine test achieved ignition and a complete fuel burn. June 8th 2008 - TV1's Sunday programme aired a story about Rocket Lab called 'Shooting For The Stars'. April 24th 2008 - Rocket Lab successfully tested its primary parachute recovery system at an air base. A fully laden test vehicle was dropped from a plane at high altitude. At a predetermined altitude and velocity the recovery systems were initiated. The test vehicle landed under main canopy within 20 meters of the target site at nominal velocity. March 26th 2008 - Rocket Lab successfully tests it's "no shock" separation system. The separation system went through a number of qualification tests including thermal, cryogenic, shock and vibration. The separation system is unique because it uses no pyros or explosives, which are typical in current operational systems, and offers the science payload and a very gentle separation.
December 16th 2007 - Rocket Lab's 2nd stage rocket engine will be hybrid. Technical director Peter Beck said "The change was both strategic and technical but also reflects the direction that the company wishes proceed, the hybrid technology offers inert transportation and coupled with Rocket Lab's new hybrid fuel patent, allows for an environmentally responsive solution." On completion of the hybrid program for both engines, Rocket Lab aims to be the most environmentally-friendly suborbital rocket operator in the world. December 7th 2007 - Rocket Lab has developed and patented a new fuel for hybrid rocket engines that provides high regression rates and excellent mechanical properties. November 2nd 2007 - Peter and Mark from Rocket Lab went on a trade mission to Vancouver. They didn't attend the second part of the trade mission in Seattle, but instead went on to meetings at various locations in Canada and USA. The trade mission was successful with excellent relationships formed and highly useful market research carried out with space science participants. September 27th 2007 - Peter presented a paper at the 7th Australian Space Science Conference (ASSC) in Sydney. It was well received and good contacts were made with Australian space scientists. Peter went on to visit a series of small rocket launches at Woomera.
August 1st 2007 - Rocket Lab was accepted by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise to be part of a trade mission to Vancouver and Seattle, led by Minister Goff, in early November this year. July 28th 2007 - Rocket Lab was confirmed as a presenter of a paper at the forthcoming 7th Australian Space Science Conference (ASSC), to be held from 24-27 September 2007 in Sydney. July 2nd 2007 - Rocket Lab started consultation for Australian Rosco McGlashan on his rocket-powered attempt on the land speed record. June 18th 2007 - Peter Beck and Mark Rocket met with Hon. Trevor Mallard, Minister of Economic Development in Wellington. May 24th 2007 - Successful meeting with LanzaTech establishing further research into the development of a bio rocket fuel. View our research section for more information. April 19th 2007 - Rocket Lab secures a deal with American company, Celestis for memorial space launches. April 12th 2007 - Rocket Lab sponsors two Auckland University students' final year project. The project's focus is to develop a composite airframe for the Ātea project. November 15th 2006 - Peter Beck and Mark Rocket finalised the Rocket Lab business plan to develop a suborbital rocket in 2006/2007. September 11th 2006 - Peter Beck and Mark Rocket began discussions to develop Rocket Lab's suborbital business. June 29th 2006 - Rocket Lab Ltd was incorporated by Peter Beck. |
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