“The MARS facility is an important part of our multimodal transportation system that serves as the platform to drive Virginia’s economy forward.”įour spaceports were shortlisted to become Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2, including Cape Canaveral, Wallops Flight Facility, Pacific Spaceport Complex – Alaska and Vandenberg Air Force Base. “Rocket Lab’s decision to locate this launch site and integration facility at Wallops Island reflects the Commonwealth’s strategic transportation planning efforts to create a world class, customer-oriented gateway to space,” said Secretary of Transportation Shannon Valentine. With the capabilities provided by the Electron, Rocket Lab is perfectly positioned to capitalize on the emerging market for smaller rockets that can launch rapidly and more frequently. The rocket launch industry has shifted recently as commercial spaceflight has matured and satellites have gotten smaller and less expensive to manufacture.
The Electron rocket can launch approximately 500 pounds (225 kilograms) of payload to orbit.
Rocket Lab will launch its 57-foot-tall (17 meters) Electron rocket from LC-2, the dedicated launch site to be constructed at MARS. soil adds an extra layer of flexibility for our government and commercial customers, offering an unmatched ability to rapidly deploy space-based assets with confidence and precision.” Rocket Lab has set the launch window of its first Electron rocket launch from US soil, taking off on January 23rd, 2023, from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. “The development of Rocket Lab’s Launch Complex-2 strengthens our existing position as the industry leader providing frequent and tailored access to orbit for small satellites,” said Rocket Lab founder and chief executive Peter Beck. Construction will begin immediately for Launch Complex-2 at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) and a Launch Vehicle Integration and Assembly Facility, which will be located nearby in Wallops Research Park. Rocket Lab, a California-based company, has chosen Virginia Space and the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport as the location for Launch Complex-2 (LC-2), Rocket Lab’s first launch facility located in the United States.Īlready launching from their own facility on the Mahia peninsula of New Zealand, LC-2 helps Rocket Lab meet its rapidly growing launch manifest demand from both commercial and government customers.
0 kommentar(er)
