Emulating SpaceX's reusable rocket strategy since 2015, New Zealand's Rocket Lab is pushing boundaries in small satellite launches with its first full-scale booster recovery test—and the results exceeded expectations.
On November 20, Rocket Lab achieved a key milestone by safely recovering the first stage of its Electron rocket after deploying 30 satellites into Earth orbit. The booster splashed down approximately 650 kilometers off New Zealand's coasts, where a specialized vessel retrieved it for detailed analysis back at the factory.
At just 18 meters tall, the Electron lacks the fuel capacity for powered landings like SpaceX's Falcon 9. Instead, Rocket Lab's engineers deployed parachutes to decelerate the booster before ocean recovery. Looking ahead, the company plans to evolve this into mid-air helicopter captures to minimize water exposure.
Rocket Lab's latest update reveals the booster withstood reentry stresses impressively, despite enduring temperatures above 2400°C. Pre-mission simulations provided confidence, but real-world data was crucial.
"The fairing held up remarkably well," states the press release. "The carbon composite structure was completely intact. As expected, the heat shield sustained thermal damage during reentry. It wasn't designed for that kind of load, but before beefing it up, we wanted to see just how much heat it could take. Thanks to the collected data, our team has already started working on upgrades for future recovery missions."
Plans include reflights of select booster components. Notably, details on the engine section—housing nine Rutherford engines—remain undisclosed, with no photos released yet, suggesting further reinforcements may be needed there.
Rocket Lab's next launch on December 12 for Japan's Synspective will be a standard mission. However, an early 2023 recovery test is planned, again involving ocean splashdown for data collection. Success here could pave the way for the first helicopter intercept.
BONUS: The video below captures the Electron booster's separation from the second stage on November 20:
