7 hours until Rocket Lab’s second launch of 2024!

An Electron + Curie rocket will be launching out of Launch Complex 1B, Māhia Peninsula. The payload is a JAXA technology demonstration spacecraft for future space debris-removal missions.

Launch scheduled for 2024-02-18 14:52 UTC, 2024-02-19 03:52 NZDT.

Launch webcast

Launch thread with more info has been posted over at [email protected]:

🇳🇿 RocketLab “On Closer Inspection” Launch Thread!

Would any spaceflight/rocket enthusiasts be interested in setting up a Rocket Lab community?

  • @DaveMA
    link
    34 months ago

    I would subscribe, but I don’t know much about rockets so wouldn’t have much to contribute.

    • ColonialSpore
      link
      3
      edit-2
      4 months ago

      I can spell rockitt, and that’s all I know.

      But, I have been to their facility in Mt Wellington. I work for a company who builds components for them.

    • @Rangelus
      link
      34 months ago

      Same here. Space stuff neat, but I ain’t no rocket surgeon.

      • @absGeekNZ
        link
        English
        34 months ago

        I know a fair bit about rockets, I have been interested in them since I was a kid.

        I’m by no means an expert, but I try to keep up to date with what is happening in the world of space flight / satellite tech.

        • @[email protected]OP
          link
          fedilink
          English
          13 months ago

          If a Rocket Lab community is created, would you be willing to co-moderate it with me? I don’t expect the workload would be high, but having multiple mods is good for redundancy, and having a mod who could provide a New Zealand perspective would be nice.

    • @[email protected]OP
      link
      fedilink
      English
      24 months ago

      Do you think this instance be a suitable/appropriate server for c/RocketLab? I might make an alt account on this instance.

      No worries if you don’t have much to contribute. I can post news and launch info as they come up, and you can post questions in the comments.

      • @DaveMA
        link
        3
        edit-2
        4 months ago

        Possibly? I note that rocketlab is an American company that happens to launch in NZ. Also, we don’t have open community registrations, only admins can do that.

        However, I’m willing to consider adding the community if people think this is an appropriate place for it?

        • @[email protected]OP
          link
          fedilink
          English
          24 months ago

          If I recall correctly, Rocket Lab was founded in New Zealand but moved their registration for funding/growth reasons. While they are technically a US company now, they still have major ties to New Zealand and operate launch pads and manufacturing facilities in both countries.

          In the spirit of decentralization, I thought it would be wise to distribute the space communities amongst multiple servers, and that this server might be an appropriate fit for c/RocketLab. I wouldn’t want to intrude on your server though, if you feel that it would not be a good fit.

          • @DaveMA
            link
            24 months ago

            Interesting! It seems you’re right about it being founded in NZ, confirmed on Wikipedia.

            I distinctly remember seeing an interview with someone representing RocketLab being interviewed for an NZ audience, and they were asked if they felt RocketLab was an NZ company at heart. The response was basically no RocketLab is not an NZ company at heart but lots of great NZers work for us. It gave me the impression that RocketLab wasn’t really connected to NZ other than the launches being here.

            I’m not against adding a community, and with this new found knowledge I think it now makes more sense.

            But before making decisions like this I like to check with people to make sure it feels OK to them, so I’ll do that and get back to you in the next day or so.

            • @[email protected]OP
              link
              fedilink
              English
              24 months ago

              before making decisions like this I like to check with people to make sure it feels OK to them

              Sounds like a great idea!

              • @DaveMA
                link
                14 months ago

                Well it seems there are a range of opinions so it might be a few more days. We haven’t added any communities since the early days and so don’t have a good process to decide whether to add a new one!

                Hopefully you’re not in a hurry!

                  • @DaveMA
                    link
                    13 months ago

                    Just an update, we’re currently running a survey to get people’s views on this. If we add the community, are you volunteering to be the mod?