Recovery mission profile

● Approximately an hour before lift-off, Rocket Lab’s Sikorsky S-92 will move into position in the capture zone, approximately 150 nautical miles off New Zealand’s coast, to await launch.

● At T+2:30 minutes after lift-off, Electron’s first and second stages will separate per a standard mission profile. Electron’s second stage will continue on to orbit for payload deployment and its first stage will begin its descent back to Earth reaching speeds of almost 8300km/h. The stage will reach temperatures of around 2400C during its descent.

● After deploying a drogue parachute at 13km altitude, the main parachute will be extracted at around 6km altitude to dramatically slow the stage to 36km/h.

● As the stage enters the capture zone, Rocket Lab’s helicopter will attempt to rendezvous with the returning stage and capture the parachute line via a hook.

● Once the stage is captured and secured, the helicopter will transport it back to land where Rocket Lab will thoroughly analyse it and assess its suitability for reflight.