Q&A with Alvaro Gimenez, ESA’s director of science

Peter Beck, the founder and chief executive of Rocket Lab, recently discussed the outcome of the company’s first attempted orbital test flight and plans for future missions.

The mission featured the launch of NASA’s largest spacecraft bound on a planetary mission. Liftoff from Launch Complex 39A happened 12:06 p.m. EDT (1606 UTC).

After a successful mission that pushed the limits of small satellite technology, ground controllers have lost contact with two briefcase-sized CubeSats beyond Mars, NASA said Tuesday.