Fire hits Rocket Lab site
Firefighters and ambulances called to battery fire in company’s Mangere premises
Firefighters last night attended to a battery fire at Rocket Lab premises near its “mission control” office in Mangere. Three fire appliances and three ambulances went to Airpark Drive near Auckland Airport, Fire and Emergency New Zealand said.
Firefighters with breathing apparatus were seen entering the building.
A man was seen being checked by St John staff in an ambulance.
A witness could see no smoke coming from the building.
Rocket Lab communications manager Morgan Bailey said Fire and Emergency attended a callout at the company’s premises due to smoke releasing from a battery. “No one was injured.” Firefighters were “remaining on site as a precaution while the battery returns to a normal temperature”.
Rocket Lab’s mission control office is its base of operations in Auckland, Newshub reported.
The Electron rockets assembled at Rocket Lab make extensive use of batteries. Unlike traditional propulsion cycles based on complex and gas generators, the Rutherford engine uses high-performance DC electric motors and lithium polymer batteries to drive its turbopumps.
The fire callout follows the company’s successful launch on January 22 of its second rocket, “Still Testing”.
It was launched from Mahia Peninsula, successfully reaching orbit before deploying a customer payload eight-and-a-half minutes later.
Chief executive Peter Beck said the day marked a new era in commercial access to space. A third test launch is planned before the company can move into commercial missions.