Everything We Know About Neutron’s Manufacturing & Launch Facility
There is a lot that goes into creating and launching a rocket. This especially is the case with extremely ambitious designs featuring partial reusability, unique materials, engines, and so much more. Rocket Lab is currently working toward this exact goal with its next generation medium lift launch vehicle Neutron. However, as of right now, the company is hard at work creating the manufacturing and launch site meant to support this rocket.
This process is much easier said than done as it features an immense scale and many firsts. This being said, Rocket Lab has already managed to make some significant progress in addition to coming up with a host of exciting goals for the future. Specifically, after announcing Neutron’s future facilities earlier this year, the company has not only broke ground but begun on some of the main infrastructure that will eventually be the backbone of the Neutron program.
In just this year alone Rocket Lab has given us quite a few updates and information on their exact progress, and general plans. Not to mention even more valuable insights just a few days ago during Investor Day 2022. Here I will go more in-depth into the exact plans for Neutron’s launch and manufacturing complex, Rocket Lab’s current progress, why it’s so important, and more.
Progress So Far
Back in February of this year, Rocket Lab announced it had selected Wallops Island, Virginia, as the location for its first launch site and extensive manufacturing and operations facilities, for its 8-ton payload class reusable Neutron rocket. This original announcement was quite a big deal and marked the start of operations surrounding Neutron’s future complex. At the time, this update provided a host of different information and plans for the future of this site, but practically no physical progress had been made at that point. However, just over a month after this initial announcement, in early April, Rocket Lab officially broke ground on the construction of the site.
At the time of this announcement, CEO of Rocket Lab, Peter Beck said, “Neutron is a next generation rocket designed to serve the needs of the civil, commercial, and national security space markets and we’re proud to be delivering that capability from right here in Virginia. Today, we take a major step toward resilient and assured access to space for the nation – a capability that has become increasingly urgent in recent times. We are excited to grow Rocket Lab’s presence in Wallops, to add highly-skilled jobs to the local economy, and to play a part in reinforcing the Eastern Shore’s strong legacy as an aerospace hub. We are grateful for the continued support of the Commonwealth of Virginia and Accomack County for its enthusiasm in helping to establish Rocket Lab and Neutron on the Eastern Shore.” In terms of progress at the time, it’s important to point out that as part of the Commonwealth’s proposal, $30 million was set aside for infrastructure and operational systems improvements to the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport where the Neutron launch site will be located, along with $15 million from the MEI Project Approval Commission in site improvements and building construction in support of Neutron. All of which gave Rocket Lab the opportunity to begin different construction and additional planning right away.
This leads up to the most recent information during Rocket Lab’s Investor Day. The first big piece of information regarding this launch and manufacturing site was a new video showing off a large robot printing Neutron’s structure. During the presentation, they highlighted that this video and construction are coming from a factory in Virginia at the future launch site. This confirms the fact that not only is Rocket Lab already constructing Neutron, but they have a decent amount of infrastructure already in place in Virginia to create this launch vehicle. Next, they showed off a few images of large concrete pads being poured at the launch site. Here they included some significant news such as the plan for the first Neutron Production Complex building to be standing by the end of the year. Being that it’s already almost October, in just a few months we could expect to see full buildings underway at the site. Looking back at the concrete pictures provided, they clarified that Rocket Lab is expecting to build its first stage 1 tank above this very concrete. They also pointed out that the site serves as a development area for tank testing, enabling rapid build & test iteration.
The last new update on the launch and manufacturing site of Neutron during the Investor Day presentation had to do with a render of a possible future launch site. In this image, you can see multiple launch and landing pads for Neutron, along with a large bay responsible for moving and stacking operations. Specifically, this included a static launch mount surrounded by multiple propellant farms and fluid storage. What’s most exciting is the addition of sea walls that go out and connect to an ocean landing platform. The big structure is what they call the rollover structure, which not only works to move and stack Neutron, but also go all the way out to the sea platform, and transport the rocket back to land. All of which are expected to operate all year round through adverse conditions. It’s clear based on all of this information that Rocket Lab is not only moving very quickly on this site, but they are working toward an ambitious and exciting future.
Neutron Complex Plan
Now that we know more about the launch and manufacturing site’s timeline and recent progress, we can take a closer look at Rocket Lab’s in-depth plan for the complex. The Neutron Production Complex and launch pad for its Neutron rocket will be located adjacent to and within the NASA Wallops Flight Facility and Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. The complex will be home to a rocket production, assembly, and integration facility, as well as a dedicated launch pad for the Neutron rocket located on the southern end of Wallops Island. The estimated 250,000 square foot state-of-the-art complex will be constructed on a 28-acre site adjacent to the Wallops Island Flight Facility and will include a Launch Control Center, Rocket Lab’s fifth global operations center for launch activities and on-orbit operations. To support rapid production of the Neutron rocket, current plans for the complex include automated fiber placement robotic production systems capable of laying up meters of Neutron’s new, specially formulated carbon composite structures in minutes. As a reusable rocket, Neutron is designed to land back on the launch pad after a mission and from there it would be returned to the production complex for refurbishment and re-flight.
As for the manufacturing complex, this will be located within proximity of Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2, the Company’s launch site for the Electron launch vehicle. Rocket Lab selected Virginia as the location of its Neutron expansion on the strength of the extensive support from the Commonwealth of Virginia along with a host of other reasons. As I mentioned prior, Rocket Lab received quite a bit of money in relation to choosing this location for the future of Neutron operations.
In regards to the Virginia location, Rocket Lab Vice President – Launch Systems, Shaun D’Mello said, “We’ve enjoyed a solid partnership with Virginia for years that will no doubt be strengthened with Neutron. We have a shared mission to develop Rocket Lab’s presence at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport into a strategic national asset that provides responsive, reliable, reusable space launch through Neutron and Electron, and breaking ground on the site soon is a significant and impelling step toward that future.” In addition, to better put this relationship in perspective, Senator Mark R. Warner said, “Virginia has been a leader for the United States in space development, research, and exploration. This exciting new partnership, which will include the construction of a launch site and manufacturing hub for Rocket Lab’s new reusable Neutron rocket, is the latest in aerospace advancement for the Commonwealth. This new facility will not only continue to help boost our nation’s competitiveness in aeronautics, but will also serve as an investment in Virginia’s economy by bringing over 200 jobs to the Eastern Shore. This project is great for the Eastern Shore and all of Virginia, and I look forward to working with Rocket Lab for years to come.”
Conclusion
Rocket Lab is currently working on a host of different projects with the greater goal of becoming a one stop shop within the space industry. In just the last year alone, the company has announced plans for Neutron’s future facilities, broken ground at the site, and begun manufacturing the rocket at this new location along with setting concrete and more. We will have to wait and see how it progresses and the impact it has on the space industry.