Spaceflight startup Rocket Lab sends its Electron rocket to orbit for the first time

This weekend, US spaceflight startup Rocket Lab successfully launched its second Electron rocket for a crucial flight test— and reached orbit for the first time. The Electron took off from the company’s New Zealand launch facility at 2:43PM local time on Sunday (or 8:43PM ET on Saturday), and about eight and a half minutes later, the rocket deployed three small commercial satellites. It marks the first time the Electron has completed a full mission, and that may mean Rocket Lab is r