Page 89 - AA 2018_09

“But we moved first and fast and
now what we see is a tremendous
number of companies looking at start-
ups and trying to get into the market.
“It’s a cool thing to do right now
but the barrier to the entry to the
market is just enormous.
“The reality of this industry is that
you are always improving.”
Expertise
Rocket Lab has more than 250 staff,
adding to that number by three to
five a week in the US and in NZ
with the larger staff in New Zealand
but the larger factory at Huntington
Beach.
Sourcing the right talent for rocket
development is difficult, Beck says.
“There is just huge innovation
going on everywhere and even though
there is a lot of talent there are a lot of
other companies wanting it so that’s because those are the people that you Workers lend scale to Electron eight to five job then you don’t.
always a challenge. ultimately need for the long haul.” test vehicle at the Mahia “We have the most incredible
“If someone turned up with 50 Beck makes no apologies for his Peninsula launch site. rocket lab group of passionate and intelligent
people tomorrow and they all met the work being all-consuming. people doing things that normally a
requirements we would hire them. “It’s difficult to change who you are. government department would do”.
“We bring people from all around I am a driven person but I am only here
the world to work on this program a very short time on the planet and I’m NZ’s role
and quite a high number of them are lucky I have a very supportive family.” Beck says that although New
Australian. He and his wife Kerryn have two Zealand is a small nation it has a very
“Australia has very good aircraft children. accessible government that really
and fitout technicians, structural Beck says his round the clock ethos allows companies like his “to do
analysts, and electronic design and also applies to Rocket Lab’s staff. incredible things.”
manufacturing engineers.” “We only hire the best because we “New Zealand’s regulatory
Rocket Lab backs PhD courses in are trying to achieve something here framework and regime is really set up
advanced guidance control systems that is really significant,” he says. to innovate whereas some countries
at Canterbury University and has “This is a place where if you want have a regulatory environment that
internship, apprenticeship and to be at the top of your game and you Sourcing the right talent for is incredibly prescriptive and that
scholarship programs. want to do something significant then rocket development is difficult. constrains innovation.
“We invest heavily in these areas you come here, but if you want an rocket lab “New Zealand has a strategic
advantage in that sense so it is not
surprising to see other businesses
come to the country for that reason.”
He cites the example of its high-
altitude base regulation that has as
its primary purpose, creating and
enabling a space industry.
“You look at the same set of
regulations in other countries and it is
to regulate a space industry. The New
Zealand government has the right
approach.”
Beck also gives kudos to the
FAA. He says it has been “incredibly
innovative and supportive of Rocket
Lab’s program.
“We launch under an FAA launch
licence in New Zealand. It [FAA] has
really stepped forward to solve some of
the bigger issues.”
“We’ve got some big years
commercially over the next few years.
There are 2,400 spacecraft that need
to be launched by 2020 and somebody
has to launch them.
“It is just the beginning for us.”
SEPTEMBER 2018 89