Rocket Lab unsuccessfully launched an Electron rocket with two BlackSky satellites.
Soon after starting, the second stage engine stopped working and communication was interrupted.
This launch was the second unsuccessful for the rocket in a year and the third out of a total of 20 launches.
Electron is a two-stage light-class launch vehicle capable of launching satellites weighing up to 300 kilograms into orbit.
The Electron was originally designed as a conventional rocket with two expendable stages, but then Rocket Lab decided to modify it to reuse the first stage.
The designers decided not to use a propulsion landing (like the Falcon 9), but a return by parachute, and then get it caught by a helicopter.
In the new mission, which took place on May 15, Rocket Lab tried to launch two small BlackSky satellites for surveying the Earth's surface.
The mission also wanted to water down the first stage again, which after the first attempt was modified by adding thermal protection to the engines.
In addition, engineers have developed a new apparatus for removing the stage from the water after the splashdown.
Initially, the launch took place in a regular mode: the first stage worked out its program and separated from the second.
Immediately after that, the second stage started its engine, but after a short time, communication with it was interrupted.
On the broadcast, you can see that a few seconds after starting the engine stopped working, and its heated nozzle began to lose brightness due to cooling.
At the same time, for about another minute, indicators were displayed on the screen showing the speed and height of the step.
Shortly after the broadcast ended, the company issued a statement on Twitter acknowledging the failure of the mission and apologized to BlackSky, whose satellites were lost in the accident.
Rocket Lab also clarified that the accident occurred shortly after the launch of the second stage, and promised to provide technical details when they become known.
This was the second accident for Rocket Lab and Electron in a year and the third in all 20 rocket launches.
The previous failure occurred in July 2020, and the first happened at the first launch of the rocket in 2017.
In all three cases, malfunctions occurred during the operation of the second stage.
Source:
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/RocketLab/status/1393531340188913665
- YouTube: