Rocket lab to achieve human Space Flight using its new Rocket-Neutron

 Rocket Lab to achieve human Space Flight using its new Rocket-Neutron

Rocket Lab

        Rocket Lab is a privately owned aerospace company founded by Peter Beck in 2006. They are the leading experts in small-sat launchers up to date. They have successfully flown their Electron rocket more than 15 times. They’ve also developed a satellite bus called Photon. It provides specific locations for their payload. They have 2 launch sites, one on Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand, and the other on Wallops Island, USA. Peter Beck is the Founder, CEO, and CTO of this aerospace company. They’ve made some incredible progress at Rocket Lab. They’ve manufactured two rocket engines called Curie and Rutherford. Both of these engines are 3D printed. Let’s take a look at their Rockets.

Electron

        The Electron is a small satellite launch vehicle. It can send up to 300kg to Low Earth Orbit. It is capable of reusability and has about 9 Rutherford Engines. It is the only rocket able to go into orbit using an electric pump-fed engine.

Neutron - The next-gen Rocket

CEO Peter Beck with Neutron

        Rocket Lab’s CEO Peter Beck announced in March 2021 that they are planning to manufacture a medium-lift launch vehicle. It is called Neutron. This rocket is capable of Human Spaceflight, can resupply cargo to the International Space Station. It is also capable of Interplanetary missions.

Features

            The Neutron rocket has two stages, a height of about 40 meters and a fairing diameter is about 4.5 meters.

Propellants

            The propellants used in this vehicle are RP1(Refined Petroleum) and LOX (Liquid Oxygen)

Reusability

           He also mentioned that Neutron has a fully reusable first stage, it will be using propulsive landing to land at the launch pad or at a Drone Ship in the Sea.

Payload Capacity

            It has a payload capacity similar to the Soyuz Spacecraft, that is about 8 tons to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and 1.5 tons to Venus.

LaunchPad

            This rocket will be launched from Virginia’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spacecraft (MARS) at Wallops Island, USA, and the manufacturing company for this rocket will be near the launchpad.

Rocket Comparison Neutron vs Electron

            This rocket will be more robust and reliable to launch. When it becomes operational, it could send humans and large constellations into orbit. It will also be the best and cost-effective rocket in the upcoming decades. This could be a game-changer in Rocket Lab’s history and in the field of Medium-Lift Launch Vehicles.