Rocket Lab\u2019s next Electron mission will include another marine recovery attempt of the rocket\u2019s booster, the latest step by the company to advance its reusability program.<\/p>\n

The mission, called \u201cBaby Come Back,\u201d will take off from Rocket Lab\u2019s Launch Complex 1 on New Zealand\u2019s Mahia Peninsula. The launch window opens no earlier than July 14. As part of the mission, the Electron rocket will carry several customer payloads to space, include a 4 CubeSat mission for NASA; two radio frequency satellites for Spire Global; and a demonstration satellite for Space Flight Laboratory.<\/p>\n

The mission for NASA, dubbed Starling, will test \u201cswarm\u201d satellite technologies, including autonomous maneuvering and onboard relative navigation between spacecraft.<\/p>\n

After launch, Rocket Lab will attempt what it calls a \u201cmarine recovery\u201d of the Electron booster, using a parachute to enable a controlled splashdown of the stage in the ocean and fishing it out with a customized vessel. The booster will then be transported back to the company\u2019s production complex for analysis and \u2014 hopefully \u2014 refurbishment for future flights.<\/p>\n