By 
April 5th, 2018
Credit: Rocket Lab
U.S. orbital launch provider Rocket Lab will open a 14-day launch window this month to conduct the company’s first fully commercial launch.
The mission is named “It’s Business Time” and includes manifested payloads for Spire Global and GeoOptics Inc., built by Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems.
Launch window
The 14-day “It’s Business Time” launch window will open on Friday April 20, 2018 NZT. During this time a four-hour launch window will open daily from 12:30 p.m. NZST (00:30 UTC).
Rocket Lab’s New Zealand launch site.
Credit: Rocket Lab
“It’s Business Time” will launch from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand “marks the fastest transition a private launch provider has made from test program to fully commercial flights,” according to a company press statement.
Launch frequency
Rocket Lab’s January 21, 2018 launch “Still Testing” successfully deployed an Earth-imaging satellite for Planet and circularized the orbit of two weather and AIS ship tracking satellites for Spire Global using Rocket Lab’s in-house designed and built kick stage.
Rocket Lab’s “Still Testing” booster departs New Zealand pad, heading to Earth orbit.
Credit: Rocket Lab
Rocket Lab’s key goal is to achieve an unprecedented launch frequency thanks to a vertically integrated vehicle manufacturing process that enables Rocket Lab to roll an Electron vehicle off the production line every week.
Rocket Lab has rapidly scaled production of the Electron launch vehicle across its three-acre headquarters and production facility in Huntington Beach, California. The company will produce 100 3D printed Rutherford engines this year to support a monthly launch cadence by the end of 2018.
Rocket Lab has posted this video at:
Posted in Space News
