Did those earlier ones reach what can be defined as 'Space'? Often used is 100km (62 miles). I saw something saying 'orbital-class' rocket - if it works ok then it can put payloads in orbit, unlike the earlier activity.
Per the linked thread "Three ARCAS high altitude weather rockets". Getting data from higher than available aircraft can fly is useful, but not necessarily getting to space - not that there is a firm border.
From Wikipedia: "There is no firm boundary where outer space starts. However the Kármán line, at an altitude of 100 km (62 mi) above sea level, is conventionally used as the start of outer space in space treaties and for aerospace records keeping" and "NASA alternatively defines an astronaut as someone who has flown more than 50 miles (80 km) above sea level"
Post by kiwithrottlejockey on Dec 10, 2017 12:18:52 GMT 12
from STUFF/Fairfax NZ....
Rocket Lab ‘still testing’, expected to launch on Monday
By ANUJA NADKARNI | 4:49PM - Saturday, 09 December 2017
Rocket Lab will launch the Electron rocket from Mahia Peninsula between 2.30pm and 6.30pm.
THE LAUNCH of Rocket Lab's second Electron rocket is expected to take place on Monday.
The launch over the Māhia Peninsula will be the first attempt to put satellites into orbit from New Zealand.
Rocket Lab spokeswoman Morgan Bailey said there were positive signs Monday would bring ideal technical and weather conditions to green light the take off.
The company opened the 10-day launch window last week but cancelled its launch on Friday due to high altitude winds.
Last month the company's Kiwi founder, Peter Beck, said the best way to watch the launch would be online, rather than in person.
“If it was me, I wouldn't drive for eight hours, I would stay at home and watch it on the internet. We are still in the testing phase so there is not really any infrastructure there for people to view it from,” Beck said.
A live video stream will start about 15 minutes before the launch, which could be any time between 2.30pm and 6.30pm.
STUFF intends to publish a link to the video stream on the day of the launch.
Rocket Lab built its 23-metre-long carbon-fibre Electron rockets to put satellites into orbit.
Over the 10 minutes of the rocket's flight, people should be able to see images from cameras on board the Electron which will be making its first attempt to deploy three satellites into orbit.
The 23-metre carbon-fibre Electron rocket is capable of carrying a 150 kilogram payload into orbit and has been dubbed “Still Testing”. This time it will mostly be carrying equipment to test its performance.
Three satellites will be on board, rather the previously planned four.
Two satellites are owned by United States company Spire Global, which is mostly in the business of tracking ships and planes, and the other by fellow US firm Planet Labs which is for aerial photography.
Each is about the size of a shoebox.
Although Planet Lab's biggest customers are in agriculture, it also markets its services to defence and intelligence agencies.
Images from one of its satellites were used by US-South Korean academic institute 38 North to analyse the deteriorating condition of North Korea's Mount Mantap nuclear test facility and were circulated in the media in September.
Three satellites will be on board to track ships, planes and one for aerial photography.
Beck said he would be watching the launch from “mission control”.
“At ‘T minus 10 minutes’ we go into an automatic sequence that is computer controlled, so the vehicle takes control of itself at that point.”
“Once it is launched there is no command that we can give apart from ‘flight termination’.”
Earlier this year Rocket Lab successfully launched its first rocket but fell short of orbit.
Bailey said Rocket Lab held a “wet dress rehearsal” launch last week on Friday that went “very smoothly”.
A wet dress rehearsal plays out the launch day without a lift-off. The rocket was filled with fuel, rolled onto the launch pad and all data points were tested.
Beck said his team had put their hearts and souls into this project.
The main purpose of this launch was to learn, he said.
“Obviously we want a completely successful mission and we want to deploy the payloads [satellites], but the point of it is to learn and to gather more data from the flight.”