About

Rocket Lab is an American aerospace company with a wholly owned New Zealand subsidiary, known for developing the Electron orbital launch vehicle. Electron, a two-stage, partially reusable rocket, is the third most launched small-lift launch vehicle in history, servicing the commercial small satellite launch market. Its unique Rutherford engines are the first electric-pump-fed engines to power an orbital-class rocket. Rocket Lab's product portfolio also includes a kickstage and the Photon spacecraft, often flown with Electron. Although initially designed to be expendable, Rocket Lab has successfully recovered the first stage of Electron twice, though the company has abandoned the idea of helicopter catch recovery for the booster.