A New Way to Make Rockets Reusable: Catch Them With a Helicopter

Rocket Lab has sent seven spacecraft into Earth’s orbit, an impressive feat for a 13-year-old company. Now it wants to get those rockets back.

Peter Beck, the founder and chief executive officer of the rocket maker, outlined a plan Tuesday to develop small, reusable rockets. Rather than use thrusters to help the rockets land as they reenter the atmosphere, Rocket Lab will deploy parachutes and then catch the rocket body in midair with a helicopter. It’s a daring idea and one that goes against Beck’s previous suggestion that reuse wasn’t technologically feasible. “Unfortunately, I find myself in the position of eating my hat,” Beck said onstage at a space industry conference.