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Rocket Lab’s Updated Neutron Design & Plans

Rocket Lab is working hard to make a next-generation launch vehicle that is not only extremely efficient but cost-effective as well. They are doing this by innovating many different aspects of the rocket development and manufacturing process. So much so that the Neutron launch vehicle looks like something from the future. Rocket Lab even says they are aiming to make a rocket from 2050.

Rocket Lab’s Neutron is a two-stage launch vehicle meant to be the future of the space industry. They are doing this with unique design features including partial reusability, Archimedes engines, and one-of-a-kind materials and build quality. All are meant to help make the Neutron launch vehicle efficient, effective, low cost, and one that stands out from the rest of the space industry.

Companies like Rocket Lab are not new to unique and innovative ideas. They are currently in the process of working on catching the booster for the Electron rocket out of mid-air with a helicopter. While extremely innovative ideas like these can be risky for the future, they can also have an incredible impact if successful. This is the exact case with the upcoming Neutron rocket.

Neutron Background

Rocket Lab has had a lot of success with their small-lift launch vehicle Electron. The company has also learned a lot through the development, manufacturing, and launch process of the rocket. However, Rocket Lab has even bigger and brighter plans for the future which they plan to achieve with Neutron. Neutron is a two-stage medium-lift launch vehicle. This rocket is very different from what we have seen throughout the space industry up until now. One of the reasons for this is Rocket Lab’s goals for building and using Neutron. Specifically, Rocket Lab emphasizes they are trying to build a launch vehicle from the 2050s, today. This ambitious goal is helping change different aspects of the rocket and making it very unique.

Rocket Lab also mentions the main market and launch goal of Neutron. Over 80% of satellites built in the next decade are going to be small satellites and constellations. Neutron is designed to be an extremely efficient, and cost-effective constellation launcher. However, while this is the main market and purpose of Neutron, Rocket Lab has mentioned its use for other orbits, human spaceflight, and even interplanetary missions. Taking a look at Neutron’s stats, it’s a lot bigger and more powerful than Electron. Neutron stands at 40m tall, 7m wide at the base, and 5m wide at the fairings. The payload to LEO is 8,000kg with a max payload to LEO of 15,000kg. Neutron will have a lift-off mass of 480,000kg.

Neutron Features

Partial Reusability – The first important feature of Neutron is reusability. Rocket Lab is designing Neutron to be partially reusable. Specifically, the first stage will be reused while the second stage is expended in space. One major difference compared to a lot of other partially reusable rockets is the fairings. Rather than be ejected into space or recovered in the ocean, the fairings on Neutron open when releasing the payload and close prior to heading back to Earth. This has a lot of benefits however the main advantage is very efficient reusability. Neutron is not meant to land, be taken to a nearby facility, and refurbished. The goal is to land, refill propellant, place a new first stage within fairings, and launch again. This would result in incredible efficiency allowing Rocket Lab to consistently launch small satellites and constellations with Neutron. However, in order for Neutron to be so efficient, it must land on the launch pad.

Rocket Lab plans to launch Neutron, deploy its cargo, and have the launch vehicle guide and land itself back on the original launchpad. This removes the need for any transportation and again works towards the goal of truly rapid reusability. There are a few key design choices that were made to facilitate Neutron returning to the launch site. The first is the shape of the entire rocket. Starting from the base to the top, Neutron gets smaller and smaller. This design is meant to help guide the rocket back to the launch site similar to Electron. With this unique design, the goal is for the atmosphere to do the majority of the work so Neutron doesn’t have to. Additionally, there are multiple small control surfaces called canards towards the top of the launch vehicle that provides additional control needed for an exact landing on the launch pad.

Material & Build – Another unique aspect of Neutron is the material and build process, quality, etc. Rocket Lab made it very clear that reducing weight was paramount when designing Neutron and specifically picking the main material for the rocket. This makes sense as the weight of a launch vehicle has a direct impact on its capabilities or lack thereof. This led Rocket Lab to choose a unique carbon composite. This material is the best of both worlds being extremely lightweight and strong at the same time. However, carbon composites are often expensive or take a long time to make and assemble.

Rocket Lab plans to change this using 3D printing or automated fiber placement. This will help increase the production of Neutron and ensure the material holds strong launch after launch. Rocket Lab also made certain design choices to lower weight. One of the first ways had to do with the upper stage and its installation within Neutron. In order to lower weight while keeping strength, the first stage of Neutron had to be put under tension. Specifically, Neutron’s upper stage is hung from the payload separation plane. This makes it not only strong but also the lightest upper stage ever in history.

Archimedes Engines – The last key feature of Rocket Lab’s next generation Neutron launch vehicle is the engines. Neutron will have 8 Archimedes engines in total. This includes 7 engines on the first stage, and a single vacuum optimized Archimedes engine on the second stage. This engine is designed and manufactured by Rocket Lab with different unique capabilities and design choices. Archimedes is a 1-meganewton thrust engine with liquid oxygen and methane as the propellants. This engine was designed with the main goal being reusability. Rocket Lab made multiple design choices to ensure the engine could be used again and again with little to no work.

Due to the lightweight of the rocket, along with the engine’s capabilities, they are far less stressed throughout the entire launch and landing process. This helps ensure each of the engines is ready for the next launch right after landing. The use of clean propellants also helps keep the engines running smoothly after a mission. The 7 engines on the first stage will have a combined lift-off thrust of around 1,300,000 pounds of force. The single vacuum optimized engine will have a thrust of around 250,000 pounds of force. These engines are already in development and meant to perform their first fire next year in 2022.

Conclusion

Rocket Lab is aiming for the far future when developing each aspect of their next-generation launch vehicle Neutron. Neutron is meant to be a one-of-a-kind constellation launcher of the future. Neutron plans on doing this with partial reusability, unique materials & build, and the Archimedes engines. All of which combine into a single launch vehicle with the goal of extreme efficiency and reusability. This contributes to the goal of lowering costs and improving our access to space. Rocket Lab is already hard at work on many different key components of Neutron. We will have to wait and see how development continues and the impact it has on the space industry.