Live streamed web event reveals detailed Neutron rocket
architecture for the first time:
- New Archimedes rocket engine designed for reliability and
reuse
- Unique captive ‘Hungry Hippo’ fairing design to enable
streamlined first stage and fairing reuse
- Carbon composite structure, making Neutron the world’s first
carbon composite large launch vehicle
- Designed for ‘return to launch site’ propulsive landing
Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB), a leading launch and space
systems company, today revealed new details about the next
generation Neutron launch vehicle in a virtual event streamed via
Rocket Lab’s YouTube channel
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kwAPr5G6WA) at 8:00 am EST
today.
This press release features multimedia. View
the full release here:
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211202005534/en/
Neutron Launch Vehicle Hungry Hippo
Fairing (Graphic: Business Wire)
Building on Rocket Lab’s proven experience developing the
Electron launch vehicle, the second most frequently launched U.S.
rocket annually since 2019, the advanced 8-ton payload class
Neutron launch vehicle is designed to transform space access by
delivering reliable and cost-effective launch services for
satellite mega-constellations, deep space missions and human
spaceflight. During today’s live streamed Neutron update, Rocket
Lab founder and CEO Peter Beck revealed new details about Neutron’s
unique design, materials, propulsion, and reusability architecture
for the first time.
“Neutron is not a conventional rocket. It’s a new breed of
launch vehicle with reliability, reusability and cost reduction is
hard baked into the advanced design from day one. Neutron
incorporates the best innovations of the past and marries them with
cutting edge technology and materials to deliver a rocket for the
future,” said Mr. Beck. “More than 80% of the satellites to be
launched in the next decade are expected to be constellations,
which have unique deployment needs that Neutron is the first
vehicle to address specifically. Like we did with Electron, rather
than starting with a traditional rocket design, we focused on our
customers’ needs and worked back from there. The result is a rocket
that is right-sized for market demand and can launch fast,
frequently and affordably.”
The World’s First Carbon Composite Medium-Class Launch
Vehicle: Neutron will be the world’s first carbon composite
large launch vehicle. Rocket Lab pioneered the use of carbon
composite for orbital rockets with the Electron rocket, which has
been delivering frequent and reliable access to space for
government and commercial small satellites since 2018. Neutron’s
structure will be comprised of a new, specially formulated carbon
composite material that is lightweight, strong and can withstand
the immense heat and forces of launch and re-entry again and again
to enable frequent re-flight of the first stage. To enable rapid
manufacturability, Neutron’s carbon composite structure will be
made using an automated fiber placement system which can build
meters of carbon rocket shell in minutes.
A Unique Structure to Simplify Launch and Landing:
Reusability is key to enabling frequent and affordable launch, so
the ability to launch, land and lift-off again has been built into
every aspect of Neutron’s design from day one. It starts with
Neutron’s unique shape, a tapered rocket with a wide base to
provide a robust, stable base for landing, eliminating the need for
complex mechanisms and landing legs. This balanced structure also
removes the need for bulky launch site infrastructure, including
strongbacks and launch towers. Neutron will instead stand securely
on its own legs for lift-off. After reaching space and deploying
Neutron’s second stage, the first stage will return to Earth for a
propulsive landing at the launch site, eliminating the high costs
associated with ocean-based landing platforms and operations.
A Rocket Engine Built for Reliability and Reuse: Neutron
will be powered by an entirely new rocket engine, Archimedes.
Designed and manufactured in-house by Rocket Lab, Archimedes is a
reusable liquid oxygen / methane gas generator cycle engine capable
of 1 meganewton thrust and 320 seconds of ISP. Seven Archimedes
engines will propel Neutron’s first stage, with a single vacuum
optimized Archimedes engine on the second stage. Neutron’s
lightweight carbon composite structure means Archimedes does not
need the immense performance and complexity typically associated
with larger rockets and their propulsion systems. By developing a
simple engine with modest performance requirements, the timeline
for development and testing can be drastically accelerated.
Say Goodbye to Throwing Away Fairings: What makes
Neutron’s design especially unique is the captive ‘Hungry Hippo’
fairing design. This innovative design will see the fairing form
part of the first stage structure and remain fixed to the stage.
Rather than separating from the stage and falling away to the ocean
like traditional fairings, Neutron’s Hungry Hippo fairing jaws will
open wide to release the second stage and payload, before closing
again ready to return to Earth with the first stage. What lands
back on the launch pad is a compete first stage with fairings
attached, ready for a new second stage to be integrated and
launched. This advanced design can speed up launch frequency,
eliminates the high cost, low reliability method of capturing
fairings at sea, and enables the second stage to be lightweight and
nimble.
A High-Performance Upper Stage: Thanks to Neutron’s
‘Hungry Hippo’ fairing design, the entire second stage will be
completely enveloped within the Neutron’s first stage structure and
fairing during launch. Thanks to this, Neutron’s second stage is
designed to be the lightest in history to enable high performance
for complex satellite deployments. Typically, a second stage forms
part of the launch vehicle’s exterior structure and needs to
provide strength to the vehicle from lift-off, exposing it to the
harsh environments of the lower atmosphere during launch. By being
housed inside the first stage and ‘Hungry Hippo’ fairing, the
requirement for the second stage to withstand the launch
environment is eliminated and the second stage can be made
significantly lighter enabling higher performance in space.
Designed as an expendable upper stage for now, Neutron’s second
stage is a six-meter-long carbon composite structure with a single
vacuum optimized Archimedes engine.
Rocket Lab is currently working through a competitive process to
select launch site, rocket production facility and Archimedes
engine test facility on the U.S. East Coast. Rocket Lab expects to
create around 250 new jobs to support the Neutron program with many
roles open for application now.
+ Neutron Images and Video for Download
www.rocketlabusa.com/about-us/updates/link-to-rocket-lab-imagery-and-video/
+ About Rocket Lab Founded in 2006, Rocket Lab is an end-to-end
space company with an established track record of mission success.
We deliver reliable launch services, spacecraft components,
satellites and other spacecraft and on-orbit management solutions
that make it faster, easier and more affordable to access space.
Headquartered in Long Beach, California, Rocket Lab designs and
manufactures the Electron small orbital launch vehicle and the
Photon satellite platform and is developing the Neutron 8-ton
payload class launch vehicle. Since its first orbital launch in
January 2018, Rocket Lab’s Electron launch vehicle has become the
second most frequently launched U.S. rocket annually and has
delivered 107 satellites to orbit for private and public sector
organizations, enabling operations in national security, scientific
research, space debris mitigation, Earth observation, climate
monitoring, and communications. Rocket Lab’s Photon spacecraft
platform has been selected to support NASA missions to the Moon and
Mars, as well as the first private commercial mission to Venus.
Rocket Lab has three launch pads at two launch sites, including two
launch pads at a private orbital launch site located in New
Zealand, one of which is currently operational, and a second launch
site in Virginia, USA which is expected to become operational in
2022. To learn more, visit www.rocketlabusa.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release may contain certain “forward-looking
statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, and Section 21E of the Securities and Exchange Act of
1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements, including
without limitation expectations regarding the development,
capability and technical design of the Neutron rocket architecture
and related components, are based on Rocket Lab’s current
expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their
potential effects. These forward-looking statements involve a
number of risks, uncertainties (many of which are beyond Rocket
Lab’s control), or other assumptions that may cause actual results
or performance to be materially different from those expressed or
implied by these forward-looking statements. Many factors could
cause actual future events to differ materially from the
forward-looking statements in this press release, including risks
related to the global COVID-19 pandemic, including risks related to
government restrictions and lock-downs in New Zealand and other
countries in which we operate that could delay or suspend our
operations; delays and disruptions in expansion efforts; our
dependence on a limited number of customers; the harsh and
unpredictable environment of space in which our products operate
which could adversely affect our launch vehicle and spacecraft;
increased congestion from the proliferation of low Earth orbit
constellations which could materially increase the risk of
potential collision with space debris or another spacecraft and
limit or impair our launch flexibility and/or access to our own
orbital slots; increased competition in our industry due in part to
rapid technological development and decreasing costs; technological
change in our industry which we may not be able to keep up with or
which may render our services uncompetitive; average selling price
trends; failure of our launch vehicles, satellites and components
to operate as intended either due to our error in design, in
production or through no fault of our own; launch schedule
disruptions; supply chain disruptions, product delays or failures;
design and engineering flaws; launch failures; natural disasters
and epidemics or pandemics; changes in governmental regulations
including with respect to trade and export restrictions, or in the
status of our regulatory approvals or applications; or other events
that force us to cancel or reschedule launches, including customer
contractual rescheduling and termination rights; risks that
acquisitions may not be completed on the anticipated timeframe or
at all or do not achieve the anticipated benefits and results; and
the other risks detailed from time to time in Rocket Lab’s filings
with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the heading “Risk
Factors” and elsewhere (including that the impact of the COVID-19
pandemic may also exacerbate the risks discussed therein). There
can be no assurance that the future developments affecting Rocket
Lab will be those that we have anticipated. Except as required by
law, Rocket Lab is not undertaking any obligation to update or
revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise.
View source
version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211202005534/en/
+ Rocket Lab Media Contact Morgan Bailey media@rocketlabusa.com
+64 27 538 9039
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