The attempt planned by Rocket Lab literally fell through. The helicopter was unable to catch the first stage of the Electron rocket in flight.
It was to be a hit for Rocket Lab. This will ultimately be a huge source of frustration. The American company announced on Friday November 4 that it was unable to capture a rocket in mid-flight. It’s a first stage telemetry problem that’s to blame. It will still be possible to fish the rocket out of the ocean in a few hours.
The rocket will end its race in the ocean
” We just received an update from the recovery team and unfortunately it looks like we won’t be able to get Electron dry today but we have the back up option of a sea landing and we’ll keep you going aware of this operation in the coming hours “, wrote on Twitter the official account of Rocket Lab.
Rocket Lab had planned to mobilize a helicopter equipped with a kind of pole, with a hook at its end. The goal was to hook the parachute braking the first stage of the Electron rocket during its descent towards the sea. Then, the aircraft had to return to the mainland with its “prey”, thus avoiding contact with it. salt water.
According to the American company, there was a loss of telemetry from the first stage during the re-entry into the atmosphere. As part of the procedures, and for safety reasons, this entails the withdrawal of the helicopter from the area. Rocket Lab takes things philosophically: “ This is what testing programs are all about: pushing systems to their limits and iterating. »
A previous attempt, in May, had gone better: the helicopter had caught the rocket in midair, but the crew had made the decision to release it soon after, due to unforeseen behavior after the capture . It will therefore be necessary to wait a few additional months before the company can organize a new shooting, the conditions of which allow another attempt.
Despite everything, the flight remains a success — and that is undoubtedly the main thing. The launch of the rocket went well from the launch base in the very north of New Zealand and the stages could be completed without difficulty, from the separation of the first stage to the deployment of the parachute during its fall, in passing through the release of the fairing protecting the satellite.
(updated with clarification from Rocket Lab on capture failure)