spacetoday.net: Rocket Lab reuses engine in Electron launch

Rocket Lab reuses engine in Electron launch

Posted: Sat, Aug 26, 2023, 12:15 PM ET (1615 GMT)
Rocket Lab launched a radar imaging satellite Wednesday night and made another step towards reusability. An Electron rocket lifted off at 7:45 pm EDT (2345 GMT) from the company's New Zealand launch site and deployed the first Acadia satellite for Capella Space. That satellite has an updated synthetic aperture radar payload for better image resolution and quality. The launch used a recoverable version of the Electron booster that, for the first time, included an engine that had previously flown on an Electron launch last year. The reused engine had "perfect performance" and brings the company closer to reusing the entire Electron first stage.