Rocket Lab reached a significant milestone in its quest for reusable orbital rockets with the successful second flight of a previously flown Rutherford Engine. This accomplishment puts Rocket Lab in the company of NASA’s space shuttle and SpaceX’s Falcon 9 as the only entities that have demonstrated the capability to re-fly rocket engines.

The Electron launch vehicle, powered by nine Rutherford engines, made history as Rocket Lab’s small launch vehicle that has successfully and repeatedly flown since its debut in 2017. In contrast, other companies like Astra and Virgin Orbit have faced challenges and inconsistent successes in reaching orbit.

Rocket Lab has been taking measured steps towards reusability, collecting data on the fiery return of the Electron through the atmosphere and testing various recovery methods, including attempting to catch the rockets with a helicopter. Ultimately, the company determined that splashing the Electron first stage into the ocean and rapidly recovering the vehicle to prevent saltwater damage was the most viable approach.

Landing on a barge was not feasible for the Electron due to the mass penalty it would incur, which would limit its payload capacity to orbit. Rocket Lab’s engineers have had to think creatively about their approach to reusability.

While achieving remarkable success with the Electron, Rocket Lab is also focusing on expanding its capabilities with their larger orbital rocket, Neutron. Neutron is being designed to compete with SpaceX’s Falcon 9 and will have the capacity to land both back at the launch site and on a drone ship downrange.

The re-flight of Rocket Lab’s Rutherford engine signals the increasing adoption of reusable rockets in the industry, with nearly every commercial development program for medium- to heavy-lift rockets now incorporating reusability. This trend, once deemed improbable, is now unstoppable, proving that reusability is not just a passing fad.

Sources:
– Rocket Lab launches Electron rocket with a reused engine – Ars Technica
– Rocket Lab reuses a Rutherford engine on an Electron rocket – SpaceNews

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