Rocket Lab Neutron Explained

Neutron
Function:Reusable orbital launcher
Manufacturer:Rocket Lab
Country-Origin:United States
Cpl:$50 million[1]
Stagedata:
To:Q663611
To:Q405
To:Q313
To:Q111
Stageno:First
Type:stage
Qid:Q109510958
Stageno:Second
Type:stage
Qid:Q109510953
Status:In development
Sites:MARS, LC-3
First:2025 (planned)[2]
Upright:0.4
Comparable:Falcon 9

Neutron is a medium-lift two-stage launch vehicle under development by Rocket Lab. Announced on 1 March 2021, the vehicle is designed to be capable of delivering a payload of to low Earth orbit in a partially reusable configuration, and will focus on the growing megaconstellation satellite delivery market. The vehicle is expected to be operational sometime in 2025.[3] It uses LOX and liquid methane propellant on both stages of the vehicle.

Design

An earlier design of Neutron (March 2021), included a rocket tall with a -diameter payload fairing. Rocket Lab stated that they intended for the first stage of the vehicle to be reusable, with landings planned on a floating landing platform downrange in the Atlantic Ocean.

On 2 December 2021, Rocket Lab unveiled a revised design for Neutron, featuring a tapered shape with a maximum diameter of . Rocket Lab abandoned plans for landing Neutron on a floating platform, instead opting for a return-to-launch-site reusability profile. Instead of a conventional payload fairing that is jettisoned and recovered at sea, the fairing is integrated into the vehicle, and opens during stage separation to release the second stage and payload, and then closes before the first stage lands back on earth. The rocket features a unique interstage design where the second stage is "hung" from the first stage structure.[4]

On the 22nd of September 2022, another revised design was unveiled at an investor day, with the first stage engine count increased from seven to nine, and the engine architecture changed from gas-generator to oxygen rich staged combustion. This was done primarily to allow for a lower turbine temperature, while maintaining the same specific impulse. The engine will run with a significantly lower chamber pressure than other similar engines, at the cost of some performance. The number of fairing segments was reduced from four to two.[5]

On the 27th of July 2023, new concept art on the Rocket Lab website showed a further revised design, with a reduction in the number of payload fairing sections from 4 to 2, redesigned landing legs, and small changes to the overall shape of the rocket. The number of payload fairing sections was reduced in order to allow for simpler fairing opening mechanisms while the landing legs were redesigned in order to be optimized for landings on floating platforms, allowing for an increase in launch availability. The redesigned legs feature a folding mechanism similar to the SpaceX Falcon 9 landing legs.[6] [7]

Operations

On 28 February 2022, Rocket Lab announced that Neutron will launch from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) within NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on the eastern coast of Virginia.[8] It was also announced that the company will build a 250,000 square feet manufacturing and operations facility adjacent to the Wallops Flight Facility.[8] Ground was broken for this facility on 11 April 2022.[9], Rocket Lab is planning for the first launch to take place no earlier than 2024.[4] Test firing of Neutron's Archimedes engine occurred at NASA's Stennis Space Center in Hancock County, Mississippi.[10]

Development timeline

Past and future development timeline of Neutron.[11]

!Date!Milestone!Status
Q2 2022Moulds and tooling for Neutron completedCompleted[12]
Q3 2022Full-scale prototype hardware for Archimedes and Neutron being madeCompleted[13]
4 Nov 2022Opening Archimedes test complex at NASA Stennis Space CenterCompleted[14]
Q4 2022Pre-burner hotfire Test of Archimedes engine for the first timeCompleted[15]
10 Jan 2023Testing engine ignition on development hardwareCompleted[16]
Q1 2023Test stand infrastructure completed for Neutron Stage 2 tankCompleted[17]
8 Aug 2023First Stage 2 buildCompleted[18]
4 Oct 2023Stage two structural and cryogenic testingCompleted[19]
6 May 2024First Archimedes development engine builtCompleted[20]
8 Aug 2024First Archimedes engine hot fireCompleted[21]
NET 2023Flight mechanisms test programIn Progress
2024Testing of all avionics and communications devices with critical onboard software and GNC algorithmsCompleted[22]
NET 2024Stage 1 buildIn progress
NET 2024Stage 2 static fireNot started
NET 2024Stage 1 static fireNot started
NET 2024Launch complex 3 completeIn progress
NET 2024Final integrationNot started
NET 2024Wet dress rehearsalNot started
NET 2025LaunchNot started

Applications

Neutron is designed to lift up to while expended, while landing the booster downrange and up to with the first stage returning to the launch site. Rocket Lab forecasts Neutron will be able to launch 98% of all payloads launched through 2029. Rocket Lab also intends the design to be able to support constellation deployment, deep space missions, and eventually human spaceflight.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Rocket Lab targets $50 million launch price for Neutron rocket to challenge SpaceX's Falcon 9 . . 24 March 2023 .
  2. Rocket Lab Completes Archimedes Engine Build, Begins Engine Test Campaign . 6 May 2024 .
  3. Web site: 2024-05-06 . Rocket Lab Completes Archimedes Engine Build, Begins Engine Test Campaign . 2024-05-06 . www.businesswire.com . en.
  4. Web site: Sheetz . Michael . Rocket Lab gives first look at plans for bigger, reusable Neutron rocket as it takes on SpaceX . . 2 December 2021 . 2 December 2021.
  5. Web site: Rocket Lab 2022 Investor Day & Neutron Update . . 22 September 2022 .
  6. Web site: Angle . Richard . 2023-07-27 . Rocket Lab's Neutron undergoes design change . 2023-10-23 . TESLARATI . en-US.
  7. https://s28.q4cdn.com/737637457/files/doc_financials/2023/q2/Rocket-Lab-Q2-2023-presentation_Final.pdf Rocket Lab Q2 2023 presentation
  8. https://www.wmdt.com/2022/02/rocket-lab-selects-virginias-eastern-shore-for-rocket-launch-site/ Rocket Lab selects Virginia's Eastern Shore for rocket launch site.
  9. Web site: 2022-04-11 . Rocket Lab Breaks Ground on Neutron Production Complex in Wallops, Virginia . 2022-05-01 . www.businesswire.com . en.
  10. Web site: Area Development . September 24, 2022 . Rocket Lab Plans Hancock County, Mississippi, Engine Test Complex .
  11. Web site: Neutron . 2023-10-22 . Rocket Lab . en.
  12. https://s28.q4cdn.com/737637457/files/doc_presentations/2022/09/Final_Investor-Day-Presentation-2022_Sept-21.pdf Rocket Lab Neutron update
  13. https://s28.q4cdn.com/737637457/files/doc_financials/2022/q3/FINAL_Q3-2022-Rocket-Lab-Earnings-1.pdf Rocket Lab Q3 2022 presentation
  14. Web site: Rocket Lab Opens Archimedes Engine Test Stand at Stennis Space Center in Mississippi . 2023-10-22 . Rocket Lab . en.
  15. https://s28.q4cdn.com/737637457/files/doc_financials/2022/q4/FINAL_Rocket-Lab-Q4-2022-presentation.pdf Rocket Lab Q4 2022 Earnings presentation
  16. https://twitter.com/RocketLab/status/1612627192181305345?lang=en Rocket Lab on X.com
  17. https://s28.q4cdn.com/737637457/files/doc_financials/2023/q1/FINAL_Rocket-Lab-Q1-2023-presentation.pdf Rocket Lab Q1 2023 presentation
  18. Web site: Rocket Lab – Events & Presentations – Presentations . 2023-10-22 . investors.rocketlabusa.com.
  19. https://twitter.com/RocketLab/status/1709683367778853365 Rocket Lab on X.com
  20. https://twitter.com/RocketLab/status/1787582571112739229/photo/1 Archimedes is here
  21. Web site: Rocket Lab Completes Successful First Hot Fire of Archimedes Engine for Neutron Rocket . 2024-08-10 . Rocket Lab . en.
  22. Web site: Neutron . 2024-07-02 . Rocket Lab . en.