Rocket Lab is set to launch its next Electron mission, “Baby Come Back,” from Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand. The mission will carry various customer payloads, including NASA’s Starling mission, which will test swarm satellite technologies. After launch, Rocket Lab will attempt a marine recovery of the Electron booster by using a parachute for a controlled splashdown in the ocean and then retrieving it with a customized vessel. This recovery method is preferred over the challenging technique of catching the booster midair with a helicopter, which Rocket Lab has unsuccessfully attempted in the past. The company has successfully recovered stages from the ocean in previous missions, demonstrating that Electron withstands ocean splashdown well. If Rocket Lab can refurbish the booster components at a low cost, marine recovery could be a successful and practical technique for the company.
