Rocket Lab launched the first orbital rocket from New Zealand.
The company’s Electron rocket lifted off from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 on New Zealand’s Mahia Peninsula during the “It’s a Test” mission on May 25, 2017. The launch did not reach orbit because of a telemetry problem, but it was the first orbital launch attempt from New Zealand.
Electron is a small orbital launch vehicle developed by Rocket Lab for commercial and government payloads. Rocket Lab later introduced recovery and reuse experiments for Electron’s first stage, including helicopter-assisted recovery work and ocean recovery operations.
The New Zealand site is often associated with Rocket Lab’s headquarters in the United States, but the launch complex itself is in New Zealand. The company also operates Launch Complex 2 at Wallops Island in Virginia for launches from the United States.