Electron Launch Postponed By Rocket Lab

The Rocket Lab launched its next Electron called the 'Its's Business Time' aftercorrecting a problem due to which the launch was delayed in April. At that time the team of scientists detected a problem with a motor controller for a pump in one of the rocket’s nine first stage engines. They noticed the unusual behaviour during the wet dress rehearsal.

The Rocket Lab used this opportunity to add two more satellites to the vehicle. One, Irvine01, is an educational payload developed by the Irvine CubeSat STEM Program, an organization that includes six high schools in Southern California. The other is NABEO, a payload developed by High Performance Space Structure Systems GmbH. It will be used to test a deployable drag sail that can be used to deorbit satellites. The Lab was already in discussion about flying those satellites on a later mission when the opportunity popped up to include them on this launch. The company has built up capabilities to quickly do the required analysis so as to integrate payloads on its rockets.These payloads join three others previously manifested on the rocket. Two are Lemur-2 satellites from Spire and one is a satellite built by TyvakNano-Satellite Systems for GeoOptics. As decided, these payloads will be launched into an orbit of 250 by 500 kilometers at an inclination of 85 degrees, after which a Rocket Lab kick stage will circularize the orbit. Rocket Lab is aiming to reach a cadence of one launch a month this year.

By: Anuja Arora

Content: http://spacenews.com/rocket-lab-reschedules-next-electron-launch/