New Zealand's first commercial satellite launch could take place in Mahia in as little as two weeks time, US orbital launch provider Rocket Lab says.
The company confirmed a 14-day launch window would open from Friday, April 20, and Rocket Lab founder and chief executive Peter Beck said the company expected to undertake "unprecedented" monthly launches by the end of the year.
The company's latest mission, named "It's Business Time", includes manifested payloads for launch customers Spire Global and GeoOptics Inc, built by Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems, follows two previous test rocket launches from its launch complex at Onenui Station.
Read more: Rocket Lab will put satellites from US Naval Academy and NASA's Langley research centre into orbit
All systems go for Rocket Lab in 2018
Licensed to launch every 72 hours, Rocket Lab's Launch Complex 1 at Mahia is the world's only private orbital launch facility.
Rocket Lab is the only private, dedicated small launch provider globally that has deployed satellites to orbit and the "It's Business Time" mission marks the fastest transition a private launch provider has made from test programme to fully commercial flights.