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21 sats \ 3 replies \ @kr OP 10 Apr 2024 \ parent \ on: Rocket Lab Returns Previously Flown First Stage to Prepare for First Reflight tech
how many companies have higher launch success rates?
SpaceX, ULA, Northrup Grumman, Firefly (granted it has only performed 2 launches but I mean in theory they are batting 100) and Blue Origin if you consider what they are doing.
Rocket Lab has had 4 failures in 40 launches and had a failure last year when they did 10 launches. 10% lost rate isn't the end of the world as they have been improving but its also not the greatest.
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I believe Rocket Lab’s first failure was triggered by a government agency that was supposed to explode the rocket if the rocket went off course.
The government agency’s software wasn’t working correctly, causing them to blow up the rocket in error.
I think only SpaceX is worthy of comparison so far, and if I recall they had far more failures in their first 45 launches than Rocket Lab
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I mean they (SpaceX) also at the same time were the first people doing something like this and paved the way. Tons of their engineers and now at these other companies. I think you have to count ULA though since they are the only other rocket launcher for the US government in the US. Northrup is specialized in top-secret launches and while SpaceX has jumped into this space if it really is TS it is going to be launched by Northrup.
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