ROCKET LAB

Company launches reusable rocket

American aerospace company Rocket Lab has officially announced the reusable middle-class Neutron rocket. Its development has not yet been finalized, but the manufacturer says the carrier will be able to launch up to 15 tonnes of payload into low earth orbit and will compete with SpaceX Falcon 9 rockets in the commercial space launch market.

The height of the Neutron launch vehicle is 40 meters, the diameter is 7 meters and the warhead diameter is 5 meters. According to available data, in the case of a single launch, the rocket can launch up to 15 tons of payload into low Earth orbit, while with multiple launches, the payload is reduced to 8 tons. These are the first details about the Neutron that have been released since Rocket Lab announced plans to build a new rocket earlier this year. The company has previously said it plans to launch Neutron into outer space for the first time in 2024.

Along with this, Rocket Lab is developing a new Archimedes engine, which Peter Beck called “very simple” and still contains “everything you need to create an engine that can be used continuously.” Seven Archimedes engines will be used in the first phase of the Neutron, and another will be installed in the second phase for post-orbital propulsion. After separation from the second stage, the booster will return to the landing platform for maintenance before being reused.

A unique feature of the Neutron rocket is the presence of an unusual nose cone that does not separate from the carrier during flight. It stays connected to the top stage and opens at the right time, releasing the second stage along with the payload. After that, the nose cone is closed and the rocket returns to Earth, making a soft landing on a special cushion.

It is not known exactly at what stage the development of the Neutron rocket is. It is assumed that the first ignition tests of the Archimedes engine will be carried out next year.

AVnews