RocketLab Electron Launch Failure

RocketLab's 41st Electron mission "We Will Never Desert You" has ended in a launch failure due the failure of the 2nd stage.

Electron lifted off from Pad B at their Launch Complex 1 facility on the Mahia Peninsula in New Zealand at 02:55 ET/ 06:33 UTC / 18:55 NZT after a 22 minute delay due to solar weather activity.

At T+2:28 seconds into flight the first stage had MECO (Main Engine Cut Off) which was followed immeditly by stage seperation. T+2:31 into flight the Electron 2nd Stage Ruther Engine was to ignite but via the RocketLab broadcast you could see the vehicle speed decreasing before the video cut back to mission control and telemerty was removed from broadcast.

[youtube https://youtu.be/rojwOgDqtpw] 

This is the first Electron launch failure since May 15, 2021 during Rocket Lab's "Running Out Of Toes" mission for Blacksky. They returned to the pad on July 29th of the same year.

Rocket Lab will now launch an investigation into the launch failure.

Stay tuned for more updates!