In a first for the aerospace industry, Rocket Lab launched the first orbital-class rocket from a private launch site last night.
The Electron rocket lifted off from the company’s Launch Complex 1 on the Mahia Peninsula in New Zealand at 16:20 local time (9:20 p.m. Pacific time) and reached space three minutes later.
The hope was that this first test would reach orbit, but the rocket fell short of that goal.
“It was a great flight,” said Rocket Lab founder and CEO Peter Beck in a statement.…