California-based company Rocket Lab said Thursday it had launched a test rocket into space from its New Zealand launch pad, although the rocket didn’t reach orbit as hoped.
The company said its Electron rocket lifted off at 4:20 p.m. Thursday and reached space three minutes later.
“It has been an incredible day and I’m immensely proud of our talented team,” company founder Peter Beck said in a statement.
Beck, a New Zealander, said the early stages of the mission went well.
“We didn’t quite reach orbit and we’ll be investigating why, however reaching space in our first test puts us in an incredibly strong position,” he said.
More tests approved
Rocket Lab was given official approval last week to conduct three test launches from the remote Mahia Peninsula on the North Island. The company hopes to begin commercial launches later this year and eventually launch about one rocket every week.
The company said it will target getting to orbit on the second test and will look to carry the maximum payload.
New Zealand has never had a space program but officials hope regular launches could change perceptions of the South Pacific nation and generate hundreds of millions of dollars each year in revenue.
Rocket Lab plans to keep costs low by using lightweight, disposable rockets with 3D-printed engines. It sees an emerging market in delivering lots of small devices into low Earth orbit. The satellites would be used for everything from monitoring crops to providing internet service.
New space club member
Politicians are rushing through new space laws and the government has set up a boutique space agency, which employs 10 people.
“So far, it’s only superpowers that have gone into space,” Simon Bridges, New Zealand’s economic development minister, told The Associated Press last week. “For us to do it, and be in the first couple of handfuls of countries in the world, is pretty impressive.”
Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket is unusual in many respects. It carries only a small payload of about 150 kilograms (331 pounds). It’s made from carbon fiber and uses an electric engine. Rocket Lab says each launch will cost just $5 million, a tiny fraction of a typical rocket launch.
It’s a different plan than some other space companies like Elon Musk’s SpaceX, which uses larger rockets to carry bigger payloads.
Rocket Lab was founded by Beck and is privately held. The company has received about $150 million in venture capital funding.
Kampuni ya Rocket Lab ya California imesema imepeleka roketi ya majaribio angani kutoka uwanja wake wa uzinduzi wa New Zealand, ingawa roketi hiyo haikufikia mzunguko kama ilivyotarajiwa. Kampuni hiyo imesema roketi yake ya Electron iliondoka saa 4:20 jioni Alhamisi na kufikia anga dakika tatu baadaye. "Ilikuwa siku ya ajabu na ninajivunia sana timu yetu yenye vipaji", mwanzilishi wa kampuni hiyo Peter Beck alisema katika taarifa. Beck, Mneuzelandia, alisema hatua za mapema za utume huo zilienda vizuri. "Hatujafikia kabisa mzunguko na tutachunguza kwa nini, hata hivyo kufikia nafasi katika jaribio letu la kwanza hutuweka katika nafasi yenye nguvu sana", alisema. Majaribio ya kwanza ya roketi ya Marekani yalifanywa wiki iliyopita katika kisiwa cha Mahia, kisiwa cha kaskazini mwa Marekani. Kampuni hiyo inatarajia kuanza uzinduzi wa kibiashara mwishoni mwa mwaka huu na hatimaye kuzindua roketi moja kila wiki. Kampuni hiyo imesema italenga kupata mzunguko katika jaribio la pili na itatafuta kubeba mzigo mkubwa zaidi. New Zealand haijawahi kuwa na mpango wa angani lakini maafisa wanatarajia uzinduzi wa mara kwa mara unaweza kubadilisha maoni ya taifa la Pasifiki Kusini na kuzalisha mamia ya mamilioni ya dola kila mwaka katika mapato. Rocket Lab inatarajia kuweka gharama chini kwa kutumia roketi nyepesi, za kutumiwa na injini zilizochapishwa kwa 3D. Inaona soko linaloibuka katika kutoa vifaa vingi vidogo katika mzunguko wa chini wa Dunia. Satelaiti hizo zitatumiwa kwa ajili ya kila kitu kuanzia kufuatilia mazao hadi kutoa huduma ya mtandao. "Wanasiasa wa Marekani wamepiga marufuku sheria mpya za anga, na serikali imeanzisha shirika la anga lenye wafanyakazi 10.""" "Hata sasa, ni mataifa makubwa tu ambayo yameenda angani", Simon Bridges, waziri wa maendeleo ya kiuchumi wa New Zealand, aliliambia The Associated Press wiki iliyopita. "Kwa sisi kufanya hivyo, na kuwa katika nchi chache za kwanza duniani, ni ya kuvutia sana. " "Rocket Lab's Electron rocket is unusual in many respects. Inaweza kubeba mizigo midogo ya kilo 150 hivi. Ni alifanya kutoka nyuzi za kaboni na anatumia injini ya umeme. Kwa mujibu wa makampuni ya roketi, kila mlipuko wa roketi hiyo utahitaji dola milioni tano, kiasi kidogo sana kuliko mlipuko wa roketi nyingine. Ni mpango tofauti na baadhi ya makampuni mengine ya anga kama SpaceX ya Elon Musk, ambayo hutumia roketi kubwa kubeba mizigo mikubwa. Rocket Lab ilianzishwa na Beck na ni binafsi uliofanyika. Kampuni hiyo imepokea karibu $ 150 milioni katika ufadhili wa mtaji wa hatari.