WASHINGTON — Huntington Beach, California-based Rocket Lab, a startup satellite delivery company whose backers include Lockheed Martin, will build its first U.S. launch facility at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Virginia’s Eastern Shore.
Rocket Lab’s other launch facility is on the Mahia peninsula of New Zealand.
The Virginia launch facility, called Launch Complex-2 or LC-2, will be co-located at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility. The Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority owns and operates the regional spaceport.
Rocket Lab will launch its 57-foot Electron rocket from the spaceport. It’s capable of carrying small satellites up to 500 pounds into orbit.
Rocket Lab’s first Virginia launch could be as early as next summer.
“Wallops, as a multitenant, multiuser facility, has been supporting the commercial launch industry for more than 30 years and, partnering with Virginia Space and its Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, we look forward to continue this effort with Rocket Lab,” said NASA’s Wallops flight facility director Bill Wrobel.
