Rocket Lab has announced the completion of qualification testing of the second stage of the Neutron rocket. This is an important milestone on the way to its debut flight.
Neutron is a medium-class rocket capable of launching up to 13 tons of cargo into low Earth orbit. The carrier has an innovative design, the main feature of which is that during launch, the second stage of the rocket will be “hidden” inside the first stage, which is equipped with an opening head fairing.
The idea is that once it reaches the right stage of flight, the Neutron’s first stage will deploy its fairing and release the second stage with its payload. After that, the first stage will close again and return to Earth, while the second stage will activate the engine and put the cargo to the desired orbit.
Such a concept implies a completely different approach to the design of the Neutron second stage. Unlike most other rockets, it will be suspended above the fuel tanks rather than supported from below. This resulted in a very lightweight design.
During acceptance, Rocket Lab engineers conducted a series of comprehensive tests of the Neutron second stage. These included high-pressure tests, mechanical stresses and verification of the operation of its systems and software. The stage successfully passed all tests, an important step towards the rocket’s first flight.
Rocket Lab hopes to make the first Neutron launch as early as the second half of 2025. The rocket was recently selected by the U.S. Space Force to participate in a program to launch cargo prioritized for national security. As part of it, Rocket Lab will be able to compete for contracts totaling $5.6 billion.
We previously reported on the huge 3D printer that would be used to print the Neutron.
