Rocket Lab Continues To Make Progress On Neutron
Rocket Lab has been staying very busy over the past few years and especially in recent months. As the demand for launch providers continues to rapidly grow, the company is working towards developing and launching unique partially reusable options. This not only includes the upcoming attempt to catch Electron’s booster but also the development of Neutron facilities.
Neutron is a next-generation medium-lift launch vehicle meant to change how we access space. However, before a Neutron rocket gets anywhere near a launch pad, the production and launch facilities need to be made. Only a few days ago Rocket Lab met up with NASA, the governor of Virginia, and other important figures near the location of the future Neutron launch and production site.
This is an important first step that marks the cooperation and anticipation for the future of the location and what’s expected to be built and launched there. Neutron is even bigger and more ambitious than Electron in many different ways. Here I will go more in-depth into the recent news, Neutron’s plans in Virginia, and what to expect in the near and ongoing future.
Recent Neutron Update
In typical Rocket Lab fashion, the company continues to make significant progress in a short period of time. Just a few days ago on April 11th, Rocket Lab tweeted saying, “From this spot on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, Neutron will be engineered to life. Today we were honored to be joined by @GovernorVA, @VCSFA_MARS, @NASA_Wallops, and @NASAGoddard as we broke ground on our Neutron Production Complex.” This tweet was accompanied by a photo of everyone involved standing in front of three banners representing the future and opportunity of the area. In addition, yesterday the governor of Virginia tweeted mentioning, “As a kid, I dreamed of becoming an astronaut which is why I was thrilled to welcome @RocketLab to Wallops Island yesterday! This new state of the art manufacturing facility will bring significant talent to the area and improve the lives of Virginians.” It’s clear that everyone involved in the future Neutron launch and production site are very excited for the future and what’s to come.
All of these comments have to do with the recent news regarding Neutron. Specifically, on April 11th, the different parties involved broke ground on the construction of the next-generation rocket production complex where the Company’s Neutron launch vehicle will be manufactured. The 250,000 square foot Neutron Production Complex is being constructed on a 28-acre site adjacent to the NASA Wallops Flight Facility and Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. The complex will support Neutron production, assembly, and integration, and is expected to bring up to 250 highly-skilled roles to the region. Construction will also soon begin on a launch pad for Neutron at the southern end of Wallops Island, near Rocket Lab’s existing launch pad for the Electron rocket. “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,” said Rocket Lab founder and CEO Peter Beck. “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.” Rocket Lab selected Virginia as the location of its Neutron production complex and launch site due to the location’s ability to support frequent launch opportunities, as well as continued support from the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Through the development of Launch Complex 2 for Electron and now the Neutron program, Rocket Lab has built a solid partnership with Virginia with support from the Virginia Economic Development Partnership working alongside Accomack County, the Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority (Virginia Space), and the General Assembly’s Major Employment and Investment (MEI) Project Approval Commission. As part of the Commonwealth’s support for the Neutron program, $30 million has been set aside for infrastructure and operational systems improvements to the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, along with $15 million from the MEI Project Approval Commission in site improvements and building construction in support of Neutron.
Virginia Facility
Now that we know some of the recent news regarding this Neutron facility, we can take a closer look at what exactly Rocket Lab plans for the area. Back in late February of this year, Rocket Lab revealed 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. 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. The manufacturing complex will be located within proximity of Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2, the Company’s launch site for the Electron launch vehicle, the second most frequently launched U.S. rocket annually since 2019. Rocket Lab’s Neutron Production Complex is expected to create as many as 250 jobs in Virginia.
Rocket Lab founder and CEO, Peter Beck, then mentioned, “Neutron is a new generation of rocket that will advance the way space is accessed, and Virginia makes perfect sense as a significant site for Neutron’s early development. Its position on the eastern seaboard is the ideal location to support both Neutron’s expected frequent launch cadence and the rocket’s return-to-Earth capability of landing back at its launch site after lift-off; and as one of only four states in the United States with an FAA spaceport license for missions to Earth orbit or on interplanetary trajectories, Virginia is home to an active and experienced aerospace workforce we can pull from to support Neutron’s development and launch. I’m thankful for the Commonwealth’s enthusiasm and backing of Neutron which, combined with the state’s rich heritage as an aerospace state, made it difficult to see anywhere else but Virginia to begin Neutron’s journey.” Neutron is Rocket Lab’s next generation launch vehicle in development, designed to lift 8-tons of payload and to provide a tailored launch solution for satellite mega constellations. Neutron’s unique design, materials, propulsion, and reusability architecture also make the launch vehicle ideal for assured access to space for the nation’s most critical missions, deep space exploration, and potentially human spaceflight. Neutron will be the world’s first carbon composite large launch vehicle, powered by in-house designed and manufactured Archimedes reusable rocket engines and an advanced upper stage to enable high performance for complex satellite deployments.
In addition, back when the news was first announced, Rocket Lab Vice President of Launch Systems, Shaun D’Mello, thanked the Commonwealth of Virginia and Accomack County for its enthusiasm and support to bring Neutron to the Eastern Shore. He 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.”Rocket Lab expects to begin construction on the Neutron Production Complex in Virginia promptly. Commercial and government interest in Neutron is strong and includes a recent $24 million development contract granted by the U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command (SSC) in support of Neutron’s capability to aid national security and defense missions ranging from scientific and experimental satellites to the largest and most critical national security payloads. Further Neutron expansion will continue throughout the United States as the program develops toward its first launch. Before launching a next generation rocket, you need to put a lot of time and money into a capable production and launch site that can support the vehicle. This is easier said than done however Rocket Lab is making impressive progress.
Conclusion
Throughout the space industry, we are seeing more and more companies make the switch to either full or partial reusability. Not long ago Rocket Lab announced plans for its medium lift launch vehicle named Neutron. Recently the company has provided updates regarding recent progress for the future launch and production site. These are both necessary for the future of Neutron and based on recent information are expected to be built not long from now. We will have to wait and see how it progresses and the impact it has on the space industry.