Rocket Lab USA, Inc (NASDAQ:RKLB) showcased its new engine development center within Virgin Orbit's former facility, making it a cost-effective decision.
The company acquired the 144,000-square-foot complex for $16.1 million during Virgin Orbit's bankruptcy auction in May, significantly below its actual worth, providing a crucial boost to their expansion.
Rocket Lab recently inaugurated its engine development center within Virgin Orbit's former facility, signaling a cost-efficient strategy to scale up its operations, TechCrunch reports.
The 144,000+ square-foot complex will house the production of the Rutherford engine, a key component of Rocket Lab's rockets, and serve as the development and production hub for the new Archimedes engine, which will power their Neutron launch vehicle. This move comes after Rocket Lab successfully bid $16.1 million for the facility during Virgin Orbit's bankruptcy auction in May.
According to Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck, the acquisition — which included all machinery and equipment — is valued at around $100 million, a fraction of the cost of building a new facility.
The former Virgin Orbit complex, less than a mile from Rocket Lab's headquarters in Long Beach, California, provides operational convenience. This development aligns with Rocket Lab's ongoing efforts to expand its launch capabilities. While the company is renowned for its small rocket, Electron, the new Neutron launch vehicle currently in development, aims to carry up to 13 tons to orbit. Neutrons can serve mega-constellation projects and potentially even human spaceflight missions, marking a significant step forward in Rocket Lab's endeavors.
Rocket Lab's Neutron vehicle will be powered by the Archimedes engine, with the first stage featuring nine of these engines. The second stage will incorporate a single vacuum Archimedes engine. This engine development center complements Rocket Lab's existing suite of Neutron development sites across the U.S. The company is also constructing a 250,000-square-foot Neutron Production complex and launch pad at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility to support rapid production of the launch vehicle.
Price Action: RKLB shares traded higher by 3.49% at $5.49 premarket on the last check Wednesday.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Rocket Lab USA, Inc（納斯達克股票代碼：RKLB）展示了其在維珍軌道（Virgin Orbit）舊廠房內新建的發動機研發中心，認爲這是一個具有成本效益的決定。
在5月份的維珍軌道破產拍賣中，該公司以1,610萬美元的價格收購了這座佔地14.4萬平方英尺的綜合大樓，大大低於其實際價值，這爲他們的擴張提供了至關重要的推動力。
TechCrunch報道，火箭實驗室最近在維珍軌道以前的設施內開設了發動機開發中心，這標誌着擴大其運營規模的具有成本效益的戰略。
這座佔地超過14.4萬平方英尺的建築羣將容納盧瑟福發動機的生產，盧瑟福發動機是火箭實驗室火箭的關鍵部件，並作爲新的阿基米德發動機的開發和生產中心，該發動機將爲他們的中子運載火箭提供動力。此舉是在火箭實驗室在5月份的維珍軌道破產拍賣中成功出價1,610萬美元購買該設施之後採取的。
根據火箭實驗室首席執行官的說法 彼得·貝克，此次收購——包括所有機械和設備——價值約爲1億美元，只是建造新設施成本的一小部分。
這座前維珍軌道綜合體距離位於加利福尼亞州長灘的火箭實驗室總部不到一英里，爲操作提供了便利。這一發展與火箭實驗室爲擴大其發射能力所做的持續努力相吻合。雖然該公司以其小型火箭而聞名，但目前正在開發的新型中子運載火箭Electron的目標是將多達13噸的火箭送入軌道。中子可以用於巨型星座項目，甚至可能用於載人太空飛行任務，這標誌着火箭實驗室的努力向前邁出了重要一步。
火箭實驗室的中子飛行器將由阿基米德發動機提供動力，第一級將配備其中九臺發動機。第二階段將配備一臺真空阿基米德發動機。該發動機開發中心補充了火箭實驗室在美國各地現有的中子開發基地。該公司還在美國宇航局的沃洛普斯飛行設施建造一座佔地25萬平方英尺的中子生產綜合體和發射臺，以支持運載火箭的快速生產。
價格走勢： 在週三的最後一張支票中，RKLB股價上漲3.49％，至盤前5.49美元。
免責聲明： 該內容部分是在人工智能工具的幫助下製作的，並由Benzinga編輯審閱和發佈。
