Faster tests. Double the capacity. Built for reliability. Supporting an increased launch cadence in 2027🚀

It's being built to take a beating. Upgrading from our heritage high temperature ceramic ramp, the new facility features a stainless steel, water-cooled ramp to absorb the extreme heat and force of engine exhaust, test after test. And it's designed for all-weather testing, meaning a predictable test cadence come rain, wind, or shine.

Demand for Electron and HASTE missions continues to grow and our manifest has never been busier. To increase launch cadence, streamlining production and test operations is key. The new facility will cut stack test time in half, from 2–3 days down to less than a day.

First, what's a stack test? Before Electron's first or second stage flies, we fire it here on Earth as an integrated system, with Rutherford engines igniting and plumbing and avionics all working together just as they will on launch day. This process is called a static fire or a stack test. It’s one of the final tests before we move into wet dress rehearsal on the launch pad in Wallops or Mahia, and then onto launch day.  Every single Electron and HASTE rocket launched so far have been through this process. (This video features the existing stack facility, not the new one)

High cadence launch needs high cadence testing. With more than 100 launches in backlog (and counting), we're building a new state-of-the-art test facility to accelerate static fire stack testing for Electron and HASTE rockets. Check out the new test pad underway within our Propulsion Test Complex 🧵👇

We have completed breakover operations for the Neutron Stage 2 tank assembly, rotating the stage horizontal – a critical step in the handling of large rocket sections for integration and assembly. Here’s a last look at Stage 2 on the Neutron Factory floor before it’s wrapped up (literally) for barge shipment to LC-3 on Wallops Island where its fluid systems will be tested and its Archimedes vacuum engine installed.

The Maxwell spacecraft is in orbit and ready to get to work. The spacecraft we built for @viasat launched from Cape Canaveral yesterday. Over the next five months, it will demonstrate how Viasat's ViaSat-3 Ka-band and global L-band networks can give low Earth orbit missions near real-time data and telemetry, tracking and command (TT&C) at any point in orbit, supporting @NASA's Communications Services Project as it prepares to retire its TDRS fleet. Congratulations to the Viasat team on a successful launch!

We're standing down from today's launch attempt for @hawkeye360 to review out-of-family telemetry data observed during vertical operations on the pad. Further launch opportunities are available throughout the week, standby for a new launch date soon.

Operations will begin shortly for our 98th Electron launch and next mission from LC-1 for @hawkeye360. 'We're Not Hawking Around' launch window opens: 🚀8:00pm NZDT 🚀07:00 UTC 🚀3:00 am EDT 🚀00:00 am PDT

The first multi-spacecraft science mission to Mars is about to make its big move. Next month, Blue and Gold – the twin spacecraft we built for @NASA and @ucbssl – will swing close past Earth and each fire their main engine in a single, continuous burn, using Earth's gravity to amplify the burn as they set course for Mars. It's a maneuver that's never been successfully done before. Our mission ops team is in full rehearsal mode for @escapade_mars' trans-Mars injection. Learn more about ESCAPADE: rocketlabcorp.com/missions/e…