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).

SEE ALSO: Secret government satellite’s fate remains a secret

"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...

More about Space, Science, Spaceflight, New Zealand, and Rocket Lab

from Mashable http://ift.tt/2DVlB6r