SPACE LAUNCH REPORT
         Rocket Lab Neutron  Launch Vehicle Flight History 
                   by Variant/Year (202x-Present)
               by: Ed Kyle, Last Update:  May 16, 2024

           L(F) = Number of Launches(Number of Failures)  
        
       Neutron                                               Grand
                                                             Total
Year     L(F)       L(F)       L(F)       L(F)      L(F)      L(F) 
------------------------------------------------------------------
2020      -          -          -          -         -         - 
2021      -          -          -          -         -         -
2022      -          -          -          -         -         -
2023      -          -          -          -         -         -
2024      -          -          -          -         -         -
------------------------------------------------------------------
       Neutron                                              Grand
                                                             Total
         L(F)       L(F)       L(F)       L(F)      L(F)      L(F)
------------------------------------------------------------------
Suborb    -          -          -          -         -         - 
Orbit     -          -          -          -         -         - 
Total     -          -          -          -         -         -
------------------------------------------------------------------


                     NEUTRON LAUNCH HISTORY

DATE     VEHICLE   ID  PAYLOAD               MASS(t) SITE*  ORBIT*
------------------------------------------------------------------
mm/dd/yy Neutron   AA  PPP                   MMM     WI 0D  NNN
------------------------------------------------------------------


 
              Neutron  Vehicle Configurations

==================================================================
            Payload          Config.             Height     GLOW
           (tonnes)                             (meters)  (tonnes)
          (1) LEO X
          (2) LEO DRL                    
          (3) LEO RTLS
          (4) TMI DRL
==================================================================
Neutron   15 t (1)       S1: 9xArchimedes         42.8 m    480 t
          13 t (2)      S2: 1xArchimedes Vac
          8.0 t (3)      PLF: Captive to S1
          1.5 t (4)
==================================================================
X = First Stage Expend
DRL = Down Range Landing
RTLS = Return to Launch Site



               Neutron Vehicle Components          
  	
                  Stg 1      Stg 2          
                13xArch.   1xArch. Vac   PLF       
==================================================================
Diameter (m)     7 m         5 m          5 m
Length (m)      ~35 m       ~5 m         ~7 m       
Mp (tonnes) 	       	  	 
GLOW (tonnes) 	  	  	 
Propellant       Methane     Methane
                 LOX         LOX   	  	 
T (SL tonnes)    694 t    	  	 
T (VAC tonnes)   743.9 t     90.72 t 
ISP (Vac sec) 		  	 
Burn Time (sec)   s          s          	  	 
Engines/Motors 	  9          1  
Engine 	         Archimedes  Archimedes  
                             Vac 
==================================================================

*ABBREVIATIONS

SITE

CC:  CAPE CANAVERAL
WI:  WALLOPS ISLAND

ORBIT

LEO:  LOW EARTH ORBIT
LEO/S:  SUN SYNCHRONOUS LOW EARTH ORBIT
SUB:  SUB-ORBITAL MISSION
[FTO]:  FAILED TO ORBIT
[LEO]:  UNPLANNED LEO



                  SPACE LAUNCH REPORT
                  ROCKET LAB NEUTRON
                    by:  Ed Kyle
                  February 24, 2024

Rocket Lab is developing Neutron, a reusable two-stage 
LOX/Methane launch vehicle.  It will lift 13 tonnes to LEO when 
its first stage flies back to a launch site recovery. 

Neutron will launch from Launch Area 0D at Wallops Island, 
Virginia beginning during the mid-2020s.   

The design is unique, with a first stage that tapers from 
7 meters at its base to 5 meters at its captive payload fairing.  
The fairing will open and reclose after second stage and payload 
separation before recovery.  The second stage will hang inside 
the interstage section of the first stage. 

Nine Archimedes Oxygen-Rich Closed Cycle engines will burn LOX 
and Methane to produce 694 tonnes of liftoff thrust.  A single 
vacuum-optimized Archimedes will make 90.72 tonnes of thrust to 
power the second stage.

Engine testing will take place at Stennis Space Center.  Engine 
development will occur in Long Beach, California and New Zealand.  
Final assembly will take place at Wallops Island.  

The rocket will use carbon composite tanks.