Rocket Lab launches mission, but calls off attempt to catch Electron booster with a helicopter

Space institution Rocket Lab called disconnected its latest effort astatine catching 1 of its Electron boosters with a helicopter, arsenic the task pursues reusability of its rockets.

The institution launched the "Catch Me If You Can" ngo from its backstage installation successful New Zealand connected Friday.

The superior extremity of Rocket Lab's mission, its ninth Electron motorboat this year, is delivering a probe outer to orbit for the Swedish National Space Agency.

But the institution had a secondary goal: Recover the booster, the largest conception of the Electron rocket, utilizing a chopper that would drawback it mid-air arsenic it returns to Earth supra the Pacific Ocean.

This was the company's 2nd effort astatine trying to propulsion disconnected the feat during a mission, aft its archetypal successful May. Rocket Lab said connected its webcast that the helicopter's pilots called disconnected the catch.

"We bash person the backup enactment of an water splashdown. We'll bring you updates connected that water cognition successful the hours to come," Rocket Lab spokesperson Murille Baker said.