Rocket Lab puts satellites in orbit for Ist time in successful test flight

Fast-growing Rocket Lab has invested roughly $100 million in the venture so far, supports a growing payroll of about 200 employees and has about half a dozen rockets currently in production

Rocket Lab, a space-transportation startup promising frequent, economical launches of small satellites on rockets featuring 3-D printed engine parts, successfully blasted its first payload into orbit from a remote New Zealand pad.

The flight was closely watched by the international aerospace community as a harbinger of less-expensive rides to space. Peter Beck, the company’s founder and chief executive, envisions offering a breakthrough service for small satellites weighing hundreds of pounds similar to the way Elon Musk’s Space Exploration Technologies revolutionised options for much larger payloads weighing thousands of pounds.
 

At roughly 2:45 pm local time Sunday, the countdown proceeded smoothly—following