Rocket Lab Receives Federal Aviation Administration Authorization to Resume Launches
25 Oktober 2023 - 10:15PM
Business Wire
Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) (“Rocket Lab” or “the
Company”), a global leader in launch services and space systems,
today announced it has received authorization from the Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA) to resume Electron launches from
Launch Complex 1.
The authorization comes after Rocket Lab experienced an
in-flight anomaly on September 19th during the Company’s 41st
Electron launch. The FAA, the federal licensing body for U.S.
launch vehicles, has now confirmed that Rocket Lab’s launch license
remains active, which is the first step to enable launches to
resume. Rocket Lab is now finalizing a meticulous review into the
anomaly’s root cause, a process that involves working through an
extensive fault tree to exhaust all potential causes for the
anomaly, as well as completing a comprehensive test campaign to
recreate the issue on the ground. The FAA is providing oversight of
Rocket Lab’s mishap investigation to ensure Rocket Lab complies
with its FAA-approved mishap investigation plan and other
regulatory requirements. In addition, the National Transportation
Safety Board (NTSB) was granted official observer status to the
investigation. The full review is expected to be completed in the
coming weeks, with Rocket Lab currently anticipating a return to
flight later this quarter with corrective measures in place.
During the September 19th mission, Electron completed a
successful lift-off, first stage burn and stage separation as
planned, before an issue was experienced at around two and a half
minutes into flight shortly after second stage engine ignition.
Flight data shows Electron’s first stage performed as expected
during the mission and did not contribute to the anomaly.
“After more than 40 launches, Electron is a proven, mature
design with a well-established manufacturing process behind it, so
we knew the fault was going to be something complex and extremely
rare that hasn’t presented in testing or flight before,” said
Rocket Lab founder and CEO Peter Beck. “Our investigation team with
FAA oversight has worked around the clock since the moment of the
anomaly to uncover all possible root causes, replicate them in
test, and determine a path for corrective actions to avoid similar
failure modes in future. We look forward to sharing the details of
the review once it is fully complete ahead of returning to flight
this quarter.”
Electron is the second most frequently launched U.S. launch
vehicle annually, relied upon by government and commercial
satellite operators globally. Prior to the September 19th mission,
Electron had completed 20 consecutive successful orbital launches
and 37 successful missions total, deploying 171 satellites to
orbit.
+ 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, satellite manufacture, spacecraft components, 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, the Photon satellite platform, and the
Company is developing the large Neutron launch vehicle for
constellation deployment. 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 171
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 and a third
launch pad in Virginia. To learn more, visit
www.rocketlabusa.com.
+ Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within
the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995. We intend such forward-looking statements to be covered by
the safe harbor provisions for forward looking statements contained
in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
“Securities Act”) and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). All statements contained in
this press release other than statements of historical fact,
including, without limitation, statements regarding our launch and
space systems operation, launch schedule and window, safe and
repeatable access to space, Neutron development, operational
expansion and business strategy are forward-looking statements. All
statements contained in this press release other than statements of
historical fact, including, without limitation, statements
regarding our launch and space systems operation, launch schedule
and window, safe and repeatable access to space, Neutron
development, operational expansion, business strategy, and
expectations relating to our financial condition, results of
operations, plans, objectives and future performance are
forward-looking statements. The words “believe,” “may,” “will,”
“estimate,” “potential,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,”
“expect,” “strategy,” “future,” “could,” “would,” “project,”
“plan,” “target,” and similar expressions are intended to identify
forward-looking statements, though not all forward-looking
statements use these words or expressions. These statements are
neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown
risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our
actual results, performance or achievements to be materially
different from any future results, performance or achievements
expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including
but not limited to the factors, risks and uncertainties included in
our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December
31, 2022, as such factors may be updated from time to time in our
other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
“SEC”), accessible on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov and the
Investor Relations section of our website at www.rocketlabusa.com,
which could cause our actual results to differ materially from
those indicated by the forward-looking statements made in this
press release. Any such forward-looking statements represent
management’s estimates as of the date of this press release. While
we may elect to update such forward-looking statements at some
point in the future, we disclaim any obligation to do so, even if
subsequent events cause our views to change.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231024660068/en/
+ Rocket Lab Media Contact Murielle Baker
media@rocketlabusa.com
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