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Rocket Lab joined the ranks of only a few private companies capable of sending rockets into space, debuting their innovative Electron rocket on Thursday in a long-awaited shakedown mission. However, the rocket fell short of reaching orbit, Rocket Lab said after the test flight.
The 17-meter tall, all-composite rocket blasted off at 4:20 UTC from Launch Complex 1 on Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand - powering away from its picturesque sea-side launch pad with nine electric pump-fed rocket engines. Electron's first stage was in action for two and a half minutes before the single-engine second stage took over for nearly five minutes of firing time, dropping the payload fairing as is accelerated toward orbit but eventually coming up short of orbital velocity.