Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) has successfully deployed two satellites to orbit for real-time, geospatial intelligence company BlackSky (NYSE: BKSY), bringing the total number of satellites deployed by Rocket Lab to 109 in number. 

The ‘A Data With Destiny’ mission, arranged for BlackSky through global launch services provider Spaceflight Inc., was Electron’s 23^rd lift-off from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 on New Zealand’s Mahia Peninsula. Following lift-off at 00:02 UTC, December 9, 2021, Electron successfully delivered the two BlackSky Gen-2 Earth-imaging satellites to a circular 430 km. orbit, growing BlackSky’s constellation of real-time, geospatial, monitoring spacecraft to 12 in number.

BlackSky’s commissioning process for these satellites is now underway to bring them into service as quickly as possible, with the last pair of BlackSky satellites deployed by Rocket Lab beginning commercial operation and generating revenue within six days of launch. 

The ‘A Data With Destiny’ mission is the latest launch for BlackSky as part of a multi-launch agreement with Spaceflight to deploy numerous BlackSky satellites on Electron. Rocket Lab has now deployed seven satellites to LEO for BlackSky on missions across 2019 and this year. An additional two, BlackSky satellites are scheduled for launch early next year on Electron from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand. These successfully deployed satellites, along with those previously launched to space by Rocket Lab and the remaining pair of satellites next in line, represent the largest number of satellites BlackSky has dedicated to a single launch provider to date.

Rocket Lab founder and CEO, Peter Beck, said, “Congratulations and welcome to space once again, BlackSky. These back-to-back missions are a showcase of the benefits of rapid-launch in action: quick constellation expansion, streamlined access to space, and fast delivery of global insights to BlackSky customers that Rocket Lab is proud to facilitate with dedicated launch on Electron.” 

‘A Data With Destiny’ is Rocket Lab’s final launch for 2021, capping off a busy year for the company. With the successful deployment of spacecraft for government and commercial customers, Rocket Lab launches this year supported operations in Earth Observation (EO), weather monitoring, and Internet-of-Things (IoT) and enabled technology demonstrations in maritime surveillance, quantum computing, advanced AI, communications, and deployable sensors.

The successful deployment of another Rocket Lab Photon spacecraft to space earlier this year is also representative of the company’s growth in space systems, including several strategic acquisitions that will bolster future Rocket Lab missions to the Moon, Mars, and Venus and further enable Rocket Lab to streamline access to space for satellites as an end-to-end space company.

The next year for Rocket Lab includes a busy manifest of Electron launches for new and repeat satellite customers, and ongoing development of its next-generation launch vehicle Neutron, tailored for mega-constellation deployment, interplanetary missions, and eventually human spaceflight. 

Flavia Tata Nardini, CEO and Co-Founder, Fleet Space Technologies said, “The South Australian Government’s investment in the Australian Space Park confirms that our home in Adelaide is the true centerpoint of the nation’s ‘Space State’. It also confirms our leaders’ vision to put the country on the world stage as a global center of excellence for innovation, design and manufacture of space technology – an ambition that Fleet Space is proud to share.”

This announcement from the South Australian Government, in addition to Fleet’s recent Series B raise of $26.4m (USD), are critical institutional endorsements of the potential that lies in satellite communications efficiencies and will allow Fleet to implement its growth strategy including the Hyper Factory that will be located in the heart of the Australian Space Park. In this purpose-built facility, Fleet Space will design, engineer and build a new breed of small satellites to be developed leveraging on in-house technology, accelerating the development process, driving down costs and truly democratizing this vital technology.

“The creation of the Australian Space Park signals our commitment to the South Australian and Australian space sector by bridging the gap between research and development and prototyping to production at scale,” Stephen Marshall MP, of South Australia said. 

“The Park aligns with Australia’s space strategy that aims to triple the space sector’s contribution to GDP to over $12 billion per annum and create up to an additional 20,000 jobs by 2030.

“It is the next step in positioning Australia’s space community to deliver the entire space value chain -— enabling the design, manufacture, launch and mission control of NewSpace capabilities.”

Fleet Space Technologies will build a satellite Hyper Factory in the newly announced Australian Space Park in Adelaide, and develop a constellation of new 3D printed small satellites. The South Australian Government will invest $20million (AUS) in Australia’s first dedicated space manufacturing hub. 

Following this announcement from the South Australian Government and Fleet’s recent Series B raise of $26.4m (USD), Fleet Space will build its new Hyper Factory at the Australian Space Park, which will co-locate four space manufacturing companies in a purpose built facility with a focus on collaboration in the heart of Australia’s ‘Space State’. This will accelerate the expansion of Fleet Space’s in-house research and development arm to build a Hyper Factory, where it will create the Alpha small satellite – the world’s first entirely 3D printed smallsat device.

From the Hyper Factory, the Fleet Space’s Alpha smallsat constellation will be designed, engineered and manufactured. Alpha, which also integrates beamforming antennas and electronics, will run alongside Fleet Space’s existing collaboration with Centuri constellation partner, Tyvak, creating a complimentary constellation that further increases its connectivity speed and reach.

The Australian Space Park in which Fleet Space Technology will build a Hyper Factory will be the first of its kind in the southern hemisphere. Four companies, Fleet Space Technologies, Q-CTRL, ATSpace and Alauda Aeronautics, will co-locate in a purpose-built facility with a focus on collaboration and production of small satellites and their payloads, rockets, electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles (eVTOL), and supporting componentry and technical systems.

Adelaide Airport has been identified by the industry consortium as an ideal location for the

Australian Space Park due to its proximity to traditional aerospace companies and the central business district and innovation precinct, Lot Fourteen, which is home to a growing

community of space companies. The State Government is in discussions with Adelaide Airport as a potential location for the Australian Space Park.

As the centrepiece of the nation’s space endeavours, the state is presently targeting an annual growth rate in the space sector of 5.8 per cent over the next decade.

The rapid growth of Fleet Space Technologies and its space tech cohorts indicates that Australia is fast becoming a global leader in space technology. Australia was one of the first countries to launch a satellite into space from its home soil, and subsequently its leaders have consistently voiced a requirement for the nation to continue growing its presence and capability in this critical sector. The nation itself relies heavily on space technology to power the everyday lives of its people – from communication services to Earth observation for navigation purposes and weather forecasting. 

Australia already boasts commercial rocket launches and a burgeoning space-centric software industry, positioning the nation as a capable, strategic and globally engaged leader in the field. Homegrown Australian technology is also supporting the wider space industry. Fleet Space will join the Seven Sisters’ Australian space industry consortium in support of NASA’s Artemis program to land the first woman and next man on the Moon by 2024 and create a sustainable human presence for later crewed Martian exploration. Commencing in 2023, the Seven Sisters missions are designed to find accessible water and other resources on the moon. 

Skykraft has closed a funding round of AUD$3.5 million with the participation of investors including Allan Moss (former CEO of Macquarie Group) and Adcock Private Equity to deliver a world-first, global, satellite constellation for space-based Air Traffic Management. 

Skykraft is positioned to offer a global product that will offer the prospect of significant job creation and onshore opportunities for the growing Space sector as well as deliver the sovereign capability needed for the nation’s defence and government programs. 

The Australian developed and manufactured smallsats will replace ground-based infrastructure for Air Traffic Management with space-based systems, for both surveillance and communication services. 

Skykraft Co-founders, Chief Engineer Dr. Doug Griffin and Chief Innovation Officer, Dr. Craig Benson, have 20+ years satellite mission and aerospace experience, including with the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA missions, RAAF and UNSW Canberra Space.

In December 2020, Skykraft signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Airservices Australia to explore and demonstrate the feasibility of space-based surveillance and communication technologies and its application in the aviation eco-system.

The capital will be used to design, build and launch the Block II validation satellites (nine smallsats scheduled to launch in June of 2022 via SpaceX). 

Skykraft’s first launch will consist of a 300 kg. satellite payload. This follows Skykraft having successfully completed rigorous ground testing and validation of its Block I smallsat (Majura) in June of 2021.

Joe Capra, founding principal of Lennoxgrove Capital, said, "Skykraft has developed a leading technology with global relevance and unique attributes in Surveillance and Aviation Communication services for the large Air Traffic Management sector. Skykraft’s solution also contributes to CO2 abatement by allowing aircraft to travel on more efficient flight paths, which translates into both environmental benefits and reduced fuel costs for airlines."

Skykraft’s Executive Chairman, Air Vice Marshal (retired), Mark Skidmore, said, “Skykraft’s space-based solution allows real-time communications between air traffic controllers and pilots, allowing for the reduction in separation between aircraft over oceanic airspace, enhancing efficiency and delivering environmental benefits. Our smallsat constellation will be a world-first, proudly out of Australia.” 

A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket carrying the Space Test Program (STP)-3 mission for U.S. Space Force lifts off from Space Launch Complex-41 at 5:19 a.m., EDT, on Dec.ember7, 2021.

The STP-3 mission consists of the STPSat-6 satellite that hosts the National Nuclear Security Administration‘s Space and Atmospheric Burst Reporting System-3 (SABRS-3) package and NASA’s Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) experiment. The launch also includes a propulsive secondary payload adapter carrying additional small science and technology missions.

The mission launched on an Atlas V 551 configuration rocket that included a 5.4 meter payload fairing and stands 196 ft. (59.7 m) tall. The Atlas booster for this mission is powered by the RD AMROSS RD-180 engine. Aerojet Rocketdyne provided the RL10C-1 engine for the Centaur upper stage and Northrop Grumman provided the five Graphite Epoxy Motors (GEM) 63 solid rocket boosters.

This was the 90^th launch of the Atlas V rocket. To date, ULA has launched 146 times with 100 percent mission success.

• STP-3 is a co-manifested mission that matures technology and reduces future space program risk for the Department of the Air Force and the U.S. Space Force by advancing warfighting capabilities in the areas of nuclear detonation detection, space domain awareness (SDA), weather, and communication. Both spacecraft will be delivered to geosynchronous orbit. Liftoff will occur from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida.

• The OoA payload fairing was developed with a new manufacturing method, an alternative process to cure carbon fiber composites, which allows for a more efficient production process, lower cost and lower system mass while maintaining the same level of reliability and quality.

• The Atlas V is also equipped with a new In-Flight Power System (IFPS). This system supplies power to the satellites’ batteries during the rocket’s long duration ascent, a mission more than seven hours. The IFPS will ensure the spacecraft have fully charged batteries when deployed into geosynchronous orbit.

• GPS Enhanced Navigation is an additional first flight item that utilizes existing flight computer hardware to provide GPS signals that improve the Centaur‘s navigation system performance, allowing the Centaur to achieve even more accurate orbits.

“STP-3 is a unique mission as the Atlas V will deliver STP-3 directly into Geosynchronous Equatorial Orbit (GEO). This is a highly complex orbital insertion that requires three Centaur burns and precise navigation, a capability unique to the Atlas V. This is our longest mission to date at seven hours and 10 minutes until final spacecraft separation,” said Gary Wentz, ULA vice president of Government and Commercial Programs. “We are proud to work alongside our mission partners to prepare to launch this challenging mission and thank them for their outstanding teamwork.”

Synspective Inc. now has an agreement in place with Rocket Lab, to launch the second demonstration satellite “StriX-β” as well as the launch of two additional satellites.

“StriX-β” was originally scheduled to be launched by Exolaunch’s Soyuz-2 rocket in 2021, but due to a change in the launch schedule of the Soyuz-2 rocket, the satellite will be launched by Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket in early 2022. The launch date of our satellite on Exolaunch’s Soyuz-2 rocket is currently under adjustment.

“StriX-β” is the second demonstration satellite following “StriX-α” and will demonstrate InSAR (Interferometric SAR) technology in orbit, a special SAR analytics technique to detect millimeter-level displacements on the ground surface using radar images of the Earth’s surface. Synspective plans to launch six satellites by 2023 and aims to build a constellation of 30 satellites by the late 2020s.

Synspective’s SAR Satellite © Synspective

“It is a great honor to collaborate with Rocket Lab, which is evolving from a rocket venture pioneer to an experienced launch service provider with the successful ‘StriX-α’ deployment to orbit,” said founder and CEO of Synspective, Dr. Motoyuki Arai. “We are very grateful for their flexibility in accepting our requests on the satellite’s orbit and launch period. Synspective has already begun operating its first satellite and providing solution services, and is now entering a phase of business expansion. ‘StriX-β’, the second satellite following StriX-α, will demonstrate Interferometric SAR (InSAR) technology in orbit and deepen satellite-operation know-how, which are strengths in our business expansion. We will accomplish this mission and steadily achieve results to enhance global efficiency and resilience.”

Rocket Lab founder and Chief Executive, Peter Beck, said, “We’re honored the Synspective team has once again chosen Electron to grow their StriX constellation. We recognize the importance of dedicated orbits and custom mission parameters for constellations, and we’re delighted to deliver a tailored launch and integration service to the Synspective team once again.”

Synspective’s mission is to create a learning world where people can expand their capabilities and make tangible progress with new data and technologies. Synspective provides one-stop-solutions using geospatial data from its own SAR satellites to create a progressive world based on real data. Synspective is building a constellation of its own small SAR satellites to provide data and analytic information to governments and commercial outfits.

Euroconsult has released their “Satellites to be Built & Launched” report for 2021, the latest edition in a series that has consistently set the industry benchmark for analysis of the satellite market.

The 17,000 satellites expected to be launched in the next ten years represents a fourfold increase over past decade, reflecting structural changes in the whole space ecosystem and a limited short-term impact of the pandemic.

The race is heating up to rapidly deploy commercial mega constellations for broadband communications and new constellations for real time observation of the Earth. Historical space powers invest in new satellite applications (e.g., Space Security Awareness) and a growing number of countries invest in their first operational satellite system, either for telecommunications, imagery intelligence, or space exploration.

The new edition of Euroconsult’s satellite market forecast assessed individually about 170 constellation projects, of which 110 are from commercial companies. While OneWeb, Starlink, Gwo Wang, Kuiper and Lightspeed will represent 58% of the 17,000 satellites to be launched, they will account for only 10% of the satellite manufacturing and launch revenues of the space industry. The report identifies two reasons combining to explain this difference: economies of scale in satellite manufacturing and a strong decrease in launch prices.

Despite a multiplication of commercial constellation projects, only a few place satellite manufacturing contracts, generally with established players. Excluding a few large deals for large constellations and new communication satellites in geostationary orbit (GEO), global competition remains limited for satellite manufacturing. Satellite demand from the governments fuels the competition between local suppliers with still limited opportunities for them to expand internationally (because of national preference in every country where a space industry is established).

Despite new business models from new commercial players in space, governments still represent three-quarters of the revenues of the space industry over the decade, i.e., $240 billion. Likewise, incumbent satellite manufacturers continue to dominate the market, with four of them capturing half of the market past decade for a value of $87 billion.

“Satellites to be Built & Launched” is the go-to report for any player throughout the satellite value chain, ranging from manufacturers to launch brokers and space agencies, or for those looking for detailed insight into this exciting and fast-developing market Appreciated by over 55 major players in 2020, the new report provides critical intelligence with as-yet unrivaled levels of precision.

The Premium Edition is available for the first time in Euroconsult’s history and features line-by-line data on every satellite to be built and launched within the next 10 years, raising the bar once again for the granular and easy to use data access Euroconsult is known for.

The “Satellites to be Built & Launched” 2021 report is now available on Euroconsult’s digital platform in Standard and Premium versions, offering Euroconsult’s pioneering and unfettered data access and readability. A free extract can be downloaded via this direct link….

“The satellite sector no longer revolves around the axis of New Space entrants challenging established legacy players. Instead, it has now shifted towards speed, and the ability to rapidly provide commercial services from satellite constellations, be it for broadband and/or narrowband communications (e.g. IOT) or for global and real time observation of the Earth. New Space is no longer the driving force in the industry. It's all about Fast Space now,” said Maxime Puteaux, Principal Advisor at Euroconsult and Editor of the report.

GomSpace A/S and the European Space Agency (ESA) have signed a contract for the ESA SCOUT Earth Observation mission to be launched in 2024.

The contract value is 24 million euros. GomSpace revenue impact is 10 million euros, whereof direct GomSpace revenue share will be 7 million euros.

The mission will consist of 3x12U cubesats and will become the first “climate mission” of its kind. In more detail, the mission aims to understand and quantify processes in the tropical upper troposphere and stratosphere, study its variability and contribute to trends analysis in its composition and its effects on climate and vice-versa.

The mission will be executed in collaboration with Science and Technology Facilities Council’s RAL Space (UK) who will provide the scientific instruments and ENPULSION (AT) who will provide the propulsion solution for the mission.

The Scout mission ESP-MACCS focuses on understanding and quantifying atmospheric processes in the upper troposphere and in the stratosphere. In particular, it will make observations in tropical and sub-tropical latitudes to observe gases such as water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, ozone and nitrous oxide as well as aerosols – all of which play a key role in the greenhouse effect and climate change. The mission comprises three 12-litre cubesats, each carrying thermal infrared spectrometer, as well as a visible near-infrared hyperspectral solar disk imager as a secondary instrument.

Terran Orbital Corporation (Terran Orbital) has announced the successful stationing of the EchoStar Global 3 smallsat into its final operational orbit.

Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems, Inc. (Tyvak), a subsidiary of Terran Orbital, designed, manufactured, and operates the satellite on behalf of EchoStar Corporation (Nasdaq: SATS).

This successful orbit placement is a premiere example of the innovation and flexibility of smallsats, such as the EchoStar Global 3. The stationing trajectory included the furthest and most rapid altitude change ever accomplished by a nanosatellite and included a 1.5-degree inclination change to place the satellite at the exact altitude and inclination required for its mission.

“Nanosatellites were not previously able to maneuver like this once placed in orbit,” said Marc Bell, co-founder, and chief executive officer of Terran Orbital. “The ability to conduct both significant altitude and inclination changes enables less expensive, faster ‘last mile’ delivery of a satellite to desired orbits for our customers. Eliminating the need for a dedicated launch insertion or reliance on space tugs reduces costs and enables a broader, more customized opportunity for ridesharing into an optimal orbit.”

“The completion of this milestone for the EchoStar Global 3 satellite was accomplished successfully and enables us to move forward with planning for the next steps in the development of our global S-band capabilities,” said Anders Johnson, chief strategy officer of EchoStar.

Fleet Space Technologies has announced their future strategy, led by the development of a new constellation of 3D-printed smallsats named Alpha, with the first satellites ready for launch in 12 months. This constellation will reside alongside the existing Centauri constellation. Fleet Space will be able to expand its coverage reach and provide down to sub-second latency, providing an extremely cost-effective means to unlock unprecedented connectivity more quickly and in more locations, however remote.

The Alpha constellation represents a fundamental shift for Fleet Space. Empowered by a recent $26.4 million Series B investment, the startup has expanded the scope of its dedicated R&D arm to create the Alpha smallsat. The creation of the world’s first entirely 3D printed satellite, integrates Fleet’s advanced beamforming technology and patented antennas.

The existing Centauri constellation is among the world’s most advanced space communications systems. Like Alpha, Fleet Space’s latest Centauri 4 smallsat, developed in collaboration with Tyvak, has been integrated with Fleet Space’s breakthrough, smallsat digital beamforming technology that uses an array of multiple 3D printed, all-metal antennas, along with cutting edge Digital Signal Processing.

This beamforming technology provides a substantial increase in throughput of customer IoT data and can service a higher number of customer terminals at once. It does this by generating a high number of highly-directional, low-interfering beams in point-to-point satellite communications. This achieves a high spectral efficiency that improves quality of service through enhanced frequency re-use, faster data rates and more link robustness. Integrating this digital beamforming into a LEO smallsat, not much larger than a half a square meter, is a world first.

Fleet has a clear track record in advanced manufacturing methods, such as 3D printing. This includes a world-first in metal ,3D-printing patch antennas for smallsats. This proves the company’s approach and the robustness of the technology for much wider use. Indeed, Alpha satellites will have up to 64 of these antennas on board, versus only 4 in the Centauri 4. This represents a 16-fold increase in performance while being only four times heavier.

Fleet Space will ensure the continuity of the Centauri constellation in collaboration with Tyvak International and the launch will occur by the close of 2022. This will ensure service continuity and an increased level of service for all Fleet customers, creating a complimentary constellation that further increases its connectivity speed and reach.

The additional scope of Fleet Space Technologies will arrive at a key moment in the satellite communications industry. Built and deployed over the last 50 years, this market is expected to double in the next seven years, driven by less expensive access to orbit and a combination of new technologies. Matched with predictions by The International Data Corporation that there will be more than 14 billion connected devices by 2025, the demand for global coverage of high speed, low latency connectivity will become unprecedented.

The deployment of Fleet Space’s smallsat Alpha constellation will service this crucial sector by providing limitless connectivity and will add data driven applications. Working alongside its existing smallsat Centauri constellation, it will unlock new markets with continuous coverage, a high data rate of up to 520 kbps and tailored frequency bands servicing current and future generations of IoT devices.

The pace and depth of Fleet Space’s advancements is a clear demonstration of Australia’s position as a global center of excellence for space technology. Supported by the Australian federal government ambition’s to grow the size of the Australian space economy to $12 billion by 2030 and create an additional 20,000 jobs in the field, Australia already boasts launch facilities, commercial rocket launches and a burgeoning space-centric software industry, positioning the nation as a capable, strategic and globally-engaged leader in the field.

Alongside Fleet Space’s advanced smallsats, homegrown Australian technology is also supporting the wider space industry. Fleet Space is leading the Seven Sisters’ Australian space industry consortium in support of NASA’s Artemis program to land the first woman and next man on the Moon by 2024 and create a sustainable human presence for later crewed Martian exploration. Commencing in 2023, the Seven Sisters missions are designed to find accessible water and other resources on the Moon and Mars.

“Our continuing collaboration with Fleet Space represents a landmark technical partnership in the development of connectivity IoT. We are proud to globally empower this rapidly growing company through the co-development and continuing improvement of the established Fleet’s Constellation,” said Marco Villa, Tyvak International, a Terran Orbital Corporation company.

Rocket Lab USA, Inc (Nasdaq: RKLB) has revealed new details about their next generation Neutron launch vehicle.

This advanced, 8-ton, payload class Neutron launch vehicle is designed to transform space access by delivering reliable and cost-effective launch services for satellite mega-constellations, deep space missions and human spaceflight. During a live streamed Neutron update, Rocket Lab founder and CEO Peter Beck revealed new details about Neutron’s unique design, materials, propulsion, and reusability architecture for the first time.

Neutron will be the world’s first carbon composite large launch vehicle. Rocket Lab pioneered the use of carbon composite for orbital rockets with the Electron rocket, which has been delivering frequent and reliable access to space for government and commercial smallsats since 2018. Neutron’s structure will be comprised of a new, specially formulated carbon composite material that is lightweight, strong and can withstand the immense heat and forces of launch and re-entry again and again to enable frequent re-flight of the first stage. To enable rapid manufacturability, Neutron’s carbon composite structure will be made using an automated fiber placement system which can build meters of carbon rocket shell in minutes. 

Reusability is key to enabling frequent and affordable launch, so the ability to launch, land and lift-off again has been built into every aspect of Neutron’s design from day one. It starts with Neutron’s unique shape, a tapered rocket with a wide base to provide a robust, stable base for landing, eliminating the need for complex mechanisms and landing legs. This balanced structure also removes the need for bulky launch site infrastructure, including strongbacks and launch towers. Neutron will, instead, stand securely on its own legs for lift-off. After reaching space and deploying Neutron’s second stage, the first stage will return to Earth for a propulsive landing at the launch site, eliminating the high costs associated with ocean-based landing platforms and operations.

Neutron will be powered by an entirely new rocket engine, Archimedes. Designed and manufactured in-house by Rocket Lab, Archimedes is a reusable liquid oxygen / methane gas generator cycle engine capable of 1 meganewton thrust and 320 seconds of ISP. Seven Archimedes engines will propel Neutron’s first stage, with a single vacuum optimized Archimedes engine on the second stage. Neutron’s lightweight carbon composite structure means Archimedes does not need the immense performance and complexity typically associated with larger rockets and their propulsion systems. By developing a simple engine with modest performance requirements, the timeline for development and testing can be drastically accelerated. 

What makes Neutron’s design especially unique is the captive ‘Hungry Hippo’ fairing design. This innovative design will see the fairing form part of the first stage structure and remain fixed to the stage. Rather than separating from the stage and falling away to the ocean like traditional fairings, Neutron’s Hungry Hippo fairing jaws will open wide to release the second stage and payload, before closing again ready to return to Earth with the first stage. What lands back on the launch pad is a compete first stage with fairings attached, ready for a new second stage to be integrated and launched. This advanced design can speed up launch frequency, eliminates the high cost, low reliability method of capturing fairings at sea, and enables the second stage to be lightweight and nimble.

Thanks to Neutron’s ‘Hungry Hippo’ fairing design, the entire second stage will be completely enveloped within the Neutron’s first stage structure and fairing during launch. Thanks to this, Neutron’s second stage is designed to be the lightest in history to enable high performance for complex satellite deployments. Typically, a second stage forms part of the launch vehicle’s exterior structure and needs to provide strength to the vehicle from lift-off, exposing it to the harsh environments of the lower atmosphere during launch.

By being housed inside the first stage and ‘Hungry Hippo’ fairing, the requirement for the second stage to withstand the launch environment is eliminated and the second stage can be made significantly lighter enabling higher performance in space. Designed as an expendable upper stage for now, Neutron’s second stage is a six-meter-long carbon composite structure with a single vacuum optimized Archimedes engine.

Rocket Lab is currently working through a competitive process to select launch site, rocket production facility and Archimedes engine test facility on the U.S. East Coast. Rocket Lab expects to create around 250 new jobs to support the Neutron program with many roles open for application now.

“Neutron is not a conventional rocket. It’s a new breed of launch vehicle with reliability, reusability and cost reduction is hard baked into the advanced design from day one. Neutron incorporates the best innovations of the past and marries them with cutting edge technology and materials to deliver a rocket for the future,” said Mr. Beck. “More than 80% of the satellites to be launched in the next decade are expected to be constellations, which have unique deployment needs that Neutron is the first vehicle to address specifically. Like we did with Electron, rather than starting with a traditional rocket design, we focused on our customers’ needs and worked back from there. The result is a rocket that is right-sized for market demand and can launch fast, frequently and affordably.”

Note: All imagery is courtesy of Rocket Lab.