'Three, two, ignition, abort' - watch as Rocket Lab's highly-anticipated east coast launch aborted 0.02 sec before lift off

December 12, 2017

The highly anticipated launch of Rocket Lab's Electron rocket was aborted as it was counting down to lift off from its east coast site today. 

The aborted launch comes after yesterday's Electron launch efforts were also halted at the Mahia Peninsula launch site, due to unfavourable conditions.

Today's test launch cancellation was reported by Rocket Lab as taking effect 0.02 seconds from lift off.

"The vehicle performed a safe auto-sequence abort at 4:50 pm NZDT, as expected if all sensors are not nominal," Rocket Lab said in a statement. 

After reviewing the telemetry and the data of the time remaining in the launch window the Rocket Lab team decided to scrap any further launch plans for the rest of the day.

Initially following the aborted launch, mission control said it was possible they would still be able to relaunch, but that was waved off shortly after.

Rocket Lab has since said the weather is not favourable for a launch attempt tomorrow, so they are targeting a new launch attempt no earlier than 2.30pm this Thursday, December 14.

There is still a 10-day launch window outlined by the company which started December 8, to successfully launch the Electron rocket.

The Electron rocket had hoped to make it out of the atmosphere from Rocket Lab's Mahia Peninsula launch site, with the goal of deploying three small satellites into orbit - weighing up to 150kg.

The launch would have been the first successful space mission of its kind undertaken in New Zealand.

Rocket Lab is US-based company with a New Zealand wing, who specialise in producing cost-effective commercial rocket launch services.

The company's inaugural test in May reached space but didn't make it into orbit after a communication fault forced the flight to be aborted.

"Electron's first test made history when it became the first orbital-class launch vehicle to reach space from a private launch facility," Rocket Lab chief Peter Beck said of the May launch.  

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