Countdown to launch: watch Rocket Lab's quest to reach orbit

Rocket Lab says its second launch is possible tomorrow and lift off will be livestreamed, including on nzherald.co.nz.

The company delayed its test launch during the weekend because of poor weather but says it could take place from 2.30pm onwards. Weather for Mahia is forecast to be sunny with light winds although they might pick up later in the day.

Tuesday is also looking fine although the weather deteriorates from then.

In May the New Zealand-founded company successfully reached space in a global first from a private launch facility.

A communications glitch meant the flight had to be terminated before reaching orbit but Rocket Lab founder and chief executive Beck has said while thrilled with the first launch, the company has learned from thousands of pieces of data.

On Friday, Beck said ''the vehicle is very solid and the team's feeling very good. But it is a test flight and we've got more to learn.''

The 17m-tall Electron orbital launch vehicle will carry two Earth-imaging Dove satellites for Planet and two Lemur-2 satellites from Spire for weather mapping and ship traffic tracking.

If needed the company will launch a third test flight but it is keen to accelerate its transition into full commercial operations.

Rocket Lab says it has an advantage over larger competitors — some spun from space programmes developed by superpowers — because its smaller rockets can be launched more frequently from an area with very little air traffic.

If the it is 'go for launch' tomorrow road closures will be announced in the morning and an hour before launch aviation authorities will be advised to warn pilots of potential hazards.

A scrub may be called at any time because of weather or technical issues. This could occur as late as 0.1 seconds before lift off.

The launch will be monitored from Rocket Lab's mission control in Auckland and all site and launch safety is managed at range control 2.4km north of the launch pad.

The liquid oxygen-and-kerosene powered rocket will reach a speed of 27,000km/h to reach orbit.

The climb will be slow at first, taking about three seconds to clear the four-storey launch tower, but as it becomes lighter it will accelerate, reaching a commercial airliner's typical cruising altitude in about a minute.

Observers on the ground may see the rocket turn and fly towards the southern horizon.

Just over eight minutes into its flight Electron's second stage will reach orbit.

Customers include Nasa, Planet, Spire and Moon Express.

Electron is an entirely carbon-composite vehicle that uses Rocket Lab's 3D-printed Rutherford engines. It is capable of delivering payloads of up to 150kg.