Rocket Lab Unveils A 3D-Printed, Battery-Powered Rocket Engine will cost about $4.9 million per launch

Image Credit: Rocket Lab

        New Zealand space company Rocket Lab unveiled the Rutherford engine today at the United States Space Symposium. The engine uses an electric turbopump and it is capable of producing about 4600 pounds of thrust.

The engine will be used for the Electron rocket, an all composite rocket developed by the firm.

The company's chief executive, Peter Beck said it will cost about $4.9 million per launch, which is cheaper than any current space flight launch.

 Electron will carry small satellites into low Earth orbit (LEO) of about 500km altitude.


The rocket has three stages and its upper stage will carry out the function of disconnecting the payload from the main booster assembly.

Beck said that "This approach eliminates the risk of cascading delays and allows customers to regain control of the integration process, using their own preferred facilities and personnel."

Image Credit: Rocket Lab

 Rocket lab was formed in 2010 after it was awarded a contract from the Operationally Responsive Space Office (ORS) to study a low cost space launcher to place nano-satellites into orbit.

Rutherford Engine Test Firing.              Image Credit: Rocket Lab

The first test flight for Electron is scheduled later this year and two months ago, the company considered Cape Canaveral Air Force Station as a possible launch site.

Beck also said that they started this project because of companies like SkyBox and PlanetIQ, who design small satellites and cube satellites. He also claimed that Rutherford engine can be built in 3 days.



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