Update 1/20 9:00 p.m. EST: Rocket Lab's second launch of the Electron rocket successfully deployed the payload of three satellites in orbit. You can rewatch the launch in the video below.



Original Post:



Rocket Lab, a spaceflight company with assets in the United States and New Zealand, is gearing up for the second launch of its Electron rocket. The company will open a nine-day launch window starting Friday, January 19. Each day the launch window will open at 2:30 p.m. local time in New Zealand, or 8:30 p.m. EST.

You can watch a live stream of the launch attempt below.

This content is imported from YouTube. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

Rocket Lab launched the first Electron rocket back in May 2017 from Launch Complex 1 on the coast of New Zealand's North Island, a mission named "It's a Test." However, Electron's maiden flight failed to successfully deposit its payload in orbit. The second flight, called "Still Testing," will attempt to place three satellites into orbit, an Earth-imaging Dove satellite for the company Planet, as well as two Lemur-2 weather and ship tracking satellites for Spire Global.



"Still Testing" was originally slated to blast off during a launch window in November of last year, but the launch was delayed after a power fault in the ground systems triggered an automatic abort just seconds before liftoff. “Once again, we’re expecting to scrub multiple times as we wait for perfect conditions and make sure everything on the vehicle is performing as it should," said Peter Beck, founder and CEO of Rocket Lab.

The Electron rocket, built with 3D-printed engines and a mostly composite construction, is designed for rapid manufacture and a high launch rate. The relatively small launch vehicle, only 56 feet tall, is catered to the growing demand for a rocket to place smaller satellites in orbit.

Ultimately, Rocket Lab wants to ramp up to about 50 Electron launches per year from its private spaceport in New Zealand. Before it can do that, however, Rocket Lab needs to complete its vehicle testing program, which could continue with a launch as early as Friday night.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io