RocketLab has shared a dramatic video showing a recent practice run in which its customized Sikorsky S-92 helicopter grabs a dummy booster from the sky.
As Rocket Lab makes final preparations for its ambitious attempt to catch a first-stage booster as it falls to Earth shortly after launch, the commercial spaceflight company has shared a dramatic video showing a recent practice run in which its customized Sikorsky S-92 helicopter grabs a dummy booster from the sky.
The company said recently that Electron’s first stage performs a number of complex maneuvers on its descent, enabling it to withstand the extreme heat and forces of atmospheric re-entry. It’s also fitted with a heat shield to protect the booster’s nine Rutherford engines, while a parachute slows down its descent to make it easier for the helicopter pilot to move into position.
If it can perfect the maneuver, plucking the booster from the sky rather than letting it fall into the ocean will make it easier for Rocket Lab to refurbish the vehicle for additional missions, helping it to reduce launch costs. Rocket Lab competitor SpaceX also reuses its first-stage boosters, but lands them upright on land or on an ocean-based barge rather than catching them.
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