WALLOPS ISLAND, Va. -- Rocket Lab has announced that it will build its first U.S. launch pad for its Electron Rocket at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, USA. The site will be Rocket Lab's second dedicated launch complex, supplementing its first site in Mahia, New Zealand, known as Launch Complex 1.
Designated Launch Complex 2, the site will be capable of supporting monthly orbital launches and is designed to serve U.S. government and commercial missions. Once the new site is operational, Rocket Lab will be able to conduct more than 130 launches per year. In addition, the option to select from two launch sites adds an extra layer of flexibility for small satellite customers
Rocket Lab will work with Virginia Space to construct dedicated pad infrastructure at the site, tailored to the Electron launch vehicle. In addition to the pad, Rocket Lab will develop a Launch Vehicle Integration and Assembly Facility in the Wallops Research Park to support the simultaneous integration of up to four Electron vehicles. The facility will also contain a control room with connectivity to LC-2, as well as dedicated customer facilities. This new facility, combined with the purpose-built gantry located at LC-2, will provide significant and dedicated vehicle processing capability and flexibility to meet Rocket Lab's high launch cadence.
Through construction and day-to-day operations, Rocket Lab expects to create around 30 jobs immediately to directly support Launch Complex 2, with this number predicted to increase to approximately 100 as launch frequency increases. The development of Launch Complex 2 will also see Rocket Lab continue to expand Electron rocket production at the company's headquarters in Huntington Beach, California, to supply complete launch vehicles for government and commercial customers.
Four spaceports were shortlisted to become Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2, including Cape Canaveral, Wallops Flight Facility, Pacific Spaceport Complex - Alaska and Vandenberg Air Force Base. Wallops Flight Facility was ultimately selected because high flight frequency is available from the site. Northrop Grumman's Antares is the only orbital launch vehicle to operate from Wallops, and it has only launched once per year between 2016 and 2018. That means Rocket Lab would not have to compete with other launch providers for launch slots. Additionally, the infrequency of launches at Wallops will enable the launch facility to be built faster, since workers will not have to be evacuated as often during launches of other launch vehicles.
Rocket Lab continues to assess additional launch sites in the U.S. and internationally to provide additional launch flexibility for small satellite customers. Cape Canaveral and the Pacific Spaceport Complex in Alaska remain appealing - Cape Canaveral for launching to equatorial orbits and the Pacific Spaceport Complex for polar and sun synchronous orbits.
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