Rocket Lab has taken a huge step towards turning its Electron orbiter into a reusable rocket. The company successfully captured the first stage of Electron in the air by helicopter for the first time since its return to Earth, after placing 34 satellites in orbit. To ensure that the first stage will survive its re-entry into the atmosphere, Rocket Lab reorients it to the ideal angle, which will give it the best chance to withstand tremendous heat and pressure. A braking parachute is then deployed to increase the resistance before the main parachute opens in the last part of its descent.
The company sent a Sikorsky S-92 helicopter to meet the returning scene at 6,500 feet in the air, using a cable hook to catch the accelerator’s parachute line. Although the catch was successful, Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck said on Twitter that pilots were unhappy with the way the booster hung under the helicopter and chose to launch it into the ocean. It was eventually retrieved and loaded on a transport ship back to the Rocket Lab headquarters for re-flight assessment.
Rocket Lab says the test has given the helicopter pilot “different load characteristics from previous testing attempts” and will provide important information for future helicopter shots. The goal is to be able to catch the booster in the air and return it directly to land, instead of having to release it into the sea, as salt water can damage the amplifier. If the company successfully proves that it can reuse its boosters, similar to what SpaceX can do, it can increase the frequency of launches and reduce mission costs for small satellites.
Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck said:
“Returning a rocket from space and capturing it by helicopter is like supersonic ballet. A huge number of factors need to be sorted out and many systems need to work together flawlessly, so I am incredibly proud of the stellar efforts of our recovery team and all of our engineers who made this mission and our first catch a success. From here, we will evaluate the stage and determine what changes we would like to make to the system and procedures for the next helicopter capture and possible re-flight. “
The company has another launch scheduled for May, but it is unclear whether it will try another helicopter recovery.
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