Launch Complex 2 – Spaceflight Now

Rocket Lab plans next launch Saturday, closes in on first mission from Virginia

July 3, 2020

Rocket Lab is readying for a launch from its New Zealand spaceport Saturday (U.S. time) with seven commercial satellites from Japan, the United States and the United Kingdom, while teams at Wallops Island, Virginia, move closer to Rocket Lab’s first launch there as soon as August.

NASA picks Rocket Lab to launch lunar CubeSat mission

February 15, 2020

NASA announced Friday that Rocket Lab will launch a 55-pound CubeSat from Wallops Island, Virginia, toward the moon in early 2021 on a demonstration mission to test lunar navigation techniques and scout a unique elliptical orbit for the planned Gateway mini-space station.

Rocket Lab to debut Virginia launch pad with U.S. Air Force mission next year

December 12, 2019

Rocket Lab plans to launch a research and development microsatellite mission for the U.S. Air Force in the first half of 2020 on the the first flight from the company’s new launch facility on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, officials announced Thursday.

Rocket Lab flies again from New Zealand as work progresses at Virginia launch pad

June 29, 2019

Rocket Lab’s third flight of the year delivered seven small commercial, military and educational satellites into orbit Saturday after a launch from New Zealand, while construction of a new launch pad in Virginia continues on pace for completion by the end of the year.

Rocket Lab breaks ground on new Virginia launch pad

October 22, 2018

Rocket Lab broke ground on a new launch pad on Virginia’s Eastern Shore last week after selecting the Wallops Island location for the company’s first U.S.-based launch site over competing spaceports in Florida, California and Alaska.