Rocket Lab Launches for First Time From New Virginia Facility
- Mission lofts three small satellites into low earth orbit
- Launch was four years in the making following delays, pandemic
Rocket Lab's Electron rocket
Source: Trevor Mahlmann/Business WireThis article is for subscribers only.
Rocket Lab USA Inc. launched its first rocket to space from the Virginia coast on Tuesday. At 6 p.m. local time, an Electron rocket took off from the company’s new launchpad, located on Wallops Island, Virginia, carrying a trio of small satellites to orbit.
Rocket Lab, based in Long Beach, California, is mainly focused on launching small satellites. It has conducted all of its previous missions and test flights from the company’s launch facility on the Mahai Peninsula in New Zealand since 2017. The new Virgina facility will provide the company with more scheduling options, said Chief Executive Officer Peter Beck.