Lift-off: Rocket Lab's second Mahia pad near ready to launch

Rocket Lab chief executive Peter Beck tweeted this picture of their second launch pad at Mahia. Photo / Twitter Peter Beck

Work on Rocket Lab's second launch complex overlooking the Mahia coast is nearing completion.

The company's chief executive tweeted a picture of the new launch pad on Friday morning, accompanied with the caption "And just like that, a new launch pad is born".

It shows the latest progress, with the strongback for the launch pad being installed.

The strongback is the tall steel structure that helps lift the rocket from horizontal to vertical and hold it in place prior to lift-off, Rocket Lab's head of communications Morgan Bailey said.

"One of the next steps will be installing the top clamp which holds the rocket in place. This is expected to take place in the coming weeks. "

The new launch pad is expected to be operational by the end of September and Rocket Lab hoped to launch from it this year, she said.

About 40 tonnes of steel have been used in the development of the launch mount structure. Photo / Rocket Lab

"Operating a second pad enables us to carry out maintenance on one pad while continuing to launch from the other, so ultimately it means less down time between missions."

It is understood about 150 cubic metres of concrete have been trucked in and 40 tonnes of steel have been used in the development of the launch mount structure.

Work on the second pad began in December 2019 and was expected to be completed at the end of last year but was delayed.

The new pad, called Launch Complex 1 Pad B, replicates the layout and systems of the current operational Pad A, including a 7.6-ton strongback and launch mount for the Electron rocket.