Rocket Lab Works to Challenge SpaceX Written 28 March 2023

Gizmodo reports Rocket Lab is working to challenge SpaceX, which currently has a stranglehold on the spaceflight industry. Rocket Lab CFO Adam Spice said, “We are positioning Neutron to compete directly with the Falcon 9,” CNBC reported. The projected cost “of flying with Neutron, a fully reusable medium-lift rocket that could perform its first launch next year, is slated at $50 million.” In comparison, SpaceX’s price per flight is typically $67 million. Rocket Lab has differentiated itself by developing 3D-printing technology and now performs “multi-continent launches of its Electron rocket.” Now, with its Neutron Rocket, Rocket Lab “is eyeing the medium-lift sector; the future rocket, in addition to delivering various payloads, is being positioned as a vehicle for transporting astronauts and cargo to the International Space Station.”
Full Story (Gizmodo)