Space startup Rocket Lab successfully sent a rocket to orbit

On Sunday afternoon, New Zealand and U.S. spaceflight startup Rocket Lab successfully sent a second Electron rocket to space — and this time it reached orbit.

The rocket "Still Testing" launched from the company's New Zealand North Island site on the Māhia peninsula at 2:43 p.m. NZDT (1:30 a.m. GMT/8:30 p.m. ET on Saturday).

"Still Testing" reached orbit and deployed customer payloads after eight and a half minutes from take-off. 

On-board were three small commercial satellites: Dove Pioneer, an earth imaging satellite from Planet Labs, and two for weather and ship tracking company Spire. Read more...