The helicopter must catch the falling rocket

A hook mounted on a modified helicopter must snap onto the rocket’s parachute. The helicopter must then be able to land the missile.

The launch of Rocket Lab’s rocket will take place this evening (Dutch time) from a complex in New Zealand and is expected to put 34 satellites into orbit. the capture attempt with the helicopter takes place over the Pacific Ocean approximately 280 kilometers off the coast of New Zealand. It can be tracked via a direct†

NASA attempt failed in 2004

If Rocket Lab’s mission succeeds, it’s a first. NASA made a similar attempt to capture a rocket in 2004, but it failed. If Rocket Lab is successful, it could be a major breakthrough for rocket reuse.

The company calls this a “very complex operation requiring extreme precision”. “Multiple milestones must follow each other perfectly to achieve a successful take”, So Rocket laboratory.

Helicopter to land rocket

After launch, the first and second stages of the rocket will separate, after which the first will return to Earth. A parachute eventually slows the descent to a speed of about 35 km/h. The modified Sikorsky S-92 twin-engine will then cling to the parachute with a hook.

Then the helicopter, used among other things for rescue operations and on oil rigs, brings the rocket back to earth so that it can be used again. According to Rocket Lab, a test in which the helicopter had to catch a dummy missile has already been successful.

Elon Musk’s space company SpaceX has been able to reuse parts of its Falcon 9 rockets for a time, as they land safely on a drone after launch.