27 Jun 2018

Rocket Lab cancels commercial launch ... again

4:11 pm on 27 June 2018

Rocket Lab has again been forced to cancel its first commercial launch after it identified an issue with the motor controller.

After previous launches were delayed by equipment problems and bad weather, the company had been preparing to launch the Electron rocket from Mahia Peninsular at 2.10pm.

But in a tweet, Rocket Lab founder Peter Beck said: "Looks like we did not totally resolve the controller from last attempt."

Rocket Lab decided to scrub the launch so the team could review the data, he said.

The rocket contained four satellites and some new equipment that would be tested in space for the first time, for three companies and a group of American high schools.

Once lift off is successful, it will take just nine minutes for Electron to reach orbit, and less than an hour before the satellites and equipment are launched from the rocket.

Today marks 12 years since Rocket Lab was founded by Peter Beck in 2006.

It successfully put four satellites into space during its testing phase. Today's launch was to be the first time it launched a rocket outside of its testing phase.

The company hopes to try again tomorrow.

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