The Electron is Rocket Lab's small-lift 13,0000 kilogram rocket designed to launch small satellites into low Earth orbit (LEO) and is capable of carrying payloads up to 300 kilograms(kg). It is made up of two main stages, First Stage (Rutherford), Second Stage (Curie) and an optional Kick Stage.
The first stage is powered by nine Rutherford engines, each fueled by RP-1 (a refined petroleum-based fuel) and LOX (liquid oxygen). The engines are electric-pump-fed, meaning they use electric pumps to circulate the propellants. The first stage is 18 meters(m) tall and 1.2 meters in diameter.
The second stage is powered by a single Curie engine, also fueled by RP-1 and LOX. The Curie engine is optimized for vacuum conditions and provides a higher specific impulse (efficiency) than the Rutherford engines. The second stage is 2.4 m tall and 1.2 m in diameter.
Electron can also be equipped with an optional kick stage, which is designed to circularize the orbit of the payload and provide additional propulsion for precision orbit insertion. The kick stage is equipped with a single Curie engine and is capable of performing multiple burns.
The Electron rocket uses a sophisticated guidance and navigation system (GNC) to ensure accurate targeting and orbit insertion. The GNC system includes Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), Star trackers, GPS receivers, Accelerometers and Gyroscopes.
The rocket’s structure is primarily made of carbon composite materials. Rocket Lab says the company has developed a robotic manufacturing capability to produce composite parts, reducing production time from 400 hours to just 12 hours. This allows for faster and more efficient production of Electron rockets.
In 2020, Rocket Lab demonstrated the capability to recover the Electron’s first stage. The company has developed an aerodynamic decelerator (ballute) and parafoil system to slow down the booster during re-entry and enable a controlled splashdown in the ocean. The recovered stage can then be refurbished and re-launched.
During a typical launch mission, the Electron lifts off from the launchpad at Mahia Peninsula in New Zealand:
First stage burn: The nine Rutherford engines ignite, and the first stage burns for approximately 4 minutes, reaching an altitude of around 100 kilometers(km).
First stage cutoff: The first stage engines shut down, and the stage separates from the second stage.
Second stage burn: The Curie engine ignites, and the second stage burns for approximately 6 minutes, reaching an altitude of around 200 km (660,000 ft).
Payload deployment: The payload is deployed from the second stage, and the kick stage (if equipped) performs its initial burn to circularize the orbit.
Orbit insertion: The Electron’s GNC system ensures the payload reaches its intended orbit.
Rocket Lab launched the company's last mission for the year 2024 on Dec. 21. An Electron rocket carrying Strix -- a private Earth-imaging radar satellite for Japanese company Synspective -- lifted off from the company’s New Zealand site at 1416 UTC, on the “Owl The Way Up” mission. (The mission's name is a reference to the payload -- a widespread genus of owls).
The Electron's Kick stage deployed Strix into its target orbit 574 kilometers above Earth about 54.5 minutes after launch, according to Rocket Lab.
