Rocket launch - NZ blasts into space

New Zealand aerospace company Rocket Lab is counting down to the historic launch of a space-bound rocket from Great Mercury Island.

The launch from the private island, off the Coromandel Peninsula, in about a fortnight will be the first time in the southern hemisphere a privately owned company has launched a rocket to space.

Rocket Lab is holding online auctions both for premium viewing spots on the island and for payload space on the rocket.

Chief executive Peter Beck says the rocket, Atea-1, has a 2kg payload capacity and expects interest from commercial parties keen to send products or services into space, or people wanting to send personal mementos.

Beck says the project will give the global scientific community the first practical alternative to conventional rockets at significantly lower cost, as it can carry miniature scientific equipment.

But the coming launch will be the first in a series where the primary payload will be instrumentation measuring the machine's performance.

The small rocket will use a new low-emission hybrid fuel technology.

It will travel at Mach 5 to an altitude of 120 kilometres - 20km on from where space starts - then return to Earth in a sub-orbital ballistic arc, to be recovered from the sea.

Launch week begins on November 30 and the actual launch day will be dependent on weather conditions.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• aviation
• space
• rocket
• atea-1
• nz
• gt
• mercury
• island
• peter
• beck
• lab
• science
• herald
• new
• zealand

[zanucy]

I'm really excited that you guys have got the initative to get this project underway, ...Very Best of luck!

[spigalau]

Well bugger me, it worked - congrats.

[LP640Murcielago]

@456ner yes mach 5.... some american shuttles have gotten their concepts up to around mach 8, nothing is impossible

[456ner]

mack 5??? noway. if you got at mach five in rocket you shred

[Killamatrix243]

coming back to earth that shit is a bullet comparred to the 50.cal

[EDDlEMEDUZA]

SPAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACE!!!!!

[bobcatmustard]

Australia and New Zealand should co-fund a space program!! Would be exciting.

[r0ck3tsm0k3]

Actually the launch happened, but there was never any confirmation or recovery of the upper stage. Thus, to claim space is dishonest. I get that you want press coverage and all that, good for business no doubt, but for the sake of rocketry, admit when you do not know the final altitude.

[soverato3]

liquid, solid or hybrid powered?

[spacegeek5]

@Nomoreidsleft good point but chimpanzees and monkeys are smarter than koala's

[Nomoreidsleft]

@spacegeek5 Right you are! But, chimpanzees and monkeys are not native to the U.S.A. and they were sent into space in the 60's, so why not koalas?

[spacegeek5]

@Nomoreidsleft koala's live in australia not new zealand