New Zealand space launch is first from a private site
1–10 of 60 posts
Re: New Zealand space launch is first from a private site
#2Should be noted that while the article calls Rocket Lab a US firm operating in NZ, it's been an NZ firm since its first day, and only went to the US for funding.
Exciting news not only because it shows commercial spaceflight is becoming global, but because Rocket Lab has one of the most ambitious launch schedules out there.
Re: New Zealand space launch is first from a private site
#3Should be noted that while the article calls Rocket Lab a US firm operating in NZ, it's been an NZ firm since its first day, and only went to the US for funding. Exciting news not only because it shows commercial spaceflight is becoming global, but because Rocket Lab has one of the most ambitious launch schedules out there.
Yeah, It's officially a US firm with a NZ subsidiary.
But any project like this is a multinational effort - while all the engineering, design, manufacture, operations, etc. are in NZ there is nowhere near enough space expertise located here so the team itself is very multinational.
Re: New Zealand space launch is first from a private site
#4Should be noted that while the article calls Rocket Lab a US firm operating in NZ, it's been an NZ firm since its first day, and only went to the US for funding. Exciting news not only because it shows commercial spaceflight is becoming global, but because Rocket Lab has one of the most ambitious launch schedules out there.
I thought it was registered as a US firm for ITAR purposes. From their website.
> Rocket Lab is an American company with headquarters in Los Angeles and a wholly-owned New Zealand subsidiary.
Re: New Zealand space launch is first from a private site
#5More detailed article here: https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/05/rocket-labs-electron...
Note that the rocket failed to reach orbit as intended.
Re: New Zealand space launch is first from a private site
#6direct from Rocket Lab.
https://www.rocketlabusa.com/latest/rocket-lab-successfully-...
Re: New Zealand space launch is first from a private site
#7Awesome! Their NZ office is just 10 minutes from my house, I was going to apply for a C++ dev role with them but was warned by the recruiter that everyone was expected to work 12 hours a day, so unfortunately I had to give it a miss as I wasn't comfortable with that.
Re: New Zealand space launch is first from a private site
#8Awesome! Their NZ office is just 10 minutes from my house, I was going to apply for a C++ dev role with them but was warned by the recruiter that everyone was expected to work 12 hours a day, so unfortunately I had to give it a miss as I wasn't comfortable with that.
I'm in a similar position to yourself here. Would love to apply as I think working on something essentially similar to a space program would be incredible, but as someone who values days off and a work-life balance, I cannot commit to that level of employment.
It's a shame RocketLab have adopted such a SpaceX-esque policy of employment. Surely it must be possible to build a rocketry company where employees work only 40 hour weeks...
Re: New Zealand space launch is first from a private site
#9Awesome! Their NZ office is just 10 minutes from my house, I was going to apply for a C++ dev role with them but was warned by the recruiter that everyone was expected to work 12 hours a day, so unfortunately I had to give it a miss as I wasn't comfortable with that.
Was it remunerated 50% more than equivalent roles? Would many say yes to that even if it was?
Re: New Zealand space launch is first from a private site
#10More detailed article here: https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/05/rocket-labs-electron... Note that the rocket failed to reach orbit as intended.
One fairly interesting note there is that the electric engine that propels the rocket runs at 95% efficiency, in contrast to the 50% efficiency of the standard gas engines of the larger rocket.
Is anyone familiar with A) why this is, and B) why the larger companies aren't investigating the use of these electric engines more? Is it too costly/difficult to do at a larger scale?