Page 86 - AA 2018_09

ocket Lab’s plan to launch
its first commercial payload
of small satellites into
orbit from New Zealand
in November is set to be a
game-changer for the space
business.
That’s because the
Rfollowing month the US
and New Zealand aerospace company
will launch another rocket for NASA
with 13 satellite payloads then one
a month after that with a goal of
fortnightly launches for customers by
the end of next year. Ultimately there
will be 120 launches a year. It already
has the regulatory approval to do so.
For Peter Beck, Rocket Lab’s
41-year-old Kiwi founder and chief
executive, sending small satellites
on compact rockets into orbit more
frequently than any other launch
provider in history, brings to fruition
an intrepid goal that grew out of a
childhood obsession with rockets and
space in his hometown of Invercargill
at the bottom of New Zealand’s South
Island.
In 2009 thanks to seed money
from New Zealand entrepreneur Mark
Rocket, the first Kiwi to join Virgin
Galactic’s space tourism program and
who changed his name to Rocket by
deed poll, Beck was able to launch The Still Testing Electron launch operators have had to compromise on and more accurately, satellite data is
his first rocket, Atea 1, in 2009 from vehicle at the Mahia Peninsula optimal orbits in order to reach space received and used sooner on earth,
Great Mercury Island, near Auckland. complex. rocket lab at an accessible cost,” Beck says. Beck says.
Rocket was a 50 per cent owner of The compact rocket design reduces A green propulsion system on the
Rocket Lab, until exiting in 2011. the satellite launch price dramatically kick stage put the large bits of rocket
That launch is a quantum leap from to under $US6 million, compared to into a highly elliptical orbit, which
where Rocket Lab is today, but Beck is infrequent dispatches from big and cause the rocket to burn up after
quick to emphasise that the business is costly rockets funded by countries’ deploying its satellites. Satellites burn
not only about building hardware. governments that cost many more out when their time is up.
“What we are trying to achieve is to millions per program. “We have a very strong
improve life on earth,” he says. environmental view about space junk,”
“For me the definition of success Kick stage says Beck.
is to create frequent access to space Rocket Lab successfully tested its “The difference between Elon
by deploying spacecraft that actually ‘kick-stage releases’ on its Still Testing Musk’s Tesla car is that it’s there for a
have a meaningful impact to the vast Electron launch vehicle in January. billion years whereas our rockets last
population on the planet. It coasted in orbit for 40 minutes, for four months.
“Small satellites are playing before powering up, igniting Rocket “What people don’t generally realise
an increasingly important role in Lab’s restartable liquid propulsion, is that 1-1.5 per cent of a rocket’s total
providing crucial services that benefit then shutting down and deploying a space is payload so 70 per cent of all
millions of people on earth,” he says. Dove Pioneer Earth-imaging satellite junk in space is actually dead rocket
“Frequent access to orbits is the for launch customer Planet and two bits left behind by the mere fact of
key to unlocking the potential for Lemur-2 satellites for weather and putting satellites into orbit.”
only small launch provider currently ‘The compact ship tracking company, Spire. Launch schedule
these satellites, and Rocket Lab is the
The kick stage uses a precision-
The deployed satellites will deliver rocket design system. With its own avionics, power Electron rocket, named It’s Business
enabling this access.” pointing, cold gas reaction control The November launch of the flagship
everything from communication reduces and communications it enables the Time in a Rocket Lab competition,
channels to educational, rocket to execute multiple burns so it will carry a number of small satellites,
environmental, health and science the satellite can place small satellites into different including one for measuring radiation
research, weather forecasting to orbits, ending the process where in the Van Allen belts to understand
spacecraft, photographing planets and launch price satellite rideshare customers were their impact on spacecraft. Another
GPS, measuring radiation effects on
restricted to primary payload orbits.
will monitor space weather. The
stars and a raft of other services. dramatically.’ By delivering the different satellites payload will also include a ‘’drag sail’’
“Until now many small satellite into their best-suited orbits faster demonstrator that speeds up the

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