WELLINGTON (Reuters) – Rocket Lab said on Thursday that the scheduled launch of its Electron rocket into space from a facility in New Zealand was aborted just prior to lift off due to issues with on ground support equipment.
The rocket, carrying five satellite for Kineis, a French operator and provider of space-based internet-of-things (IoT) connectivity, failed to blast off from Rocket Lab’s launch pad on the country’s North Island about 11 a.m. (2300 GMT).
It was shut down safely, and Electron and the launch pad all “remain healthy”, according to a post by the company on social media platform X.
Peter Beck, company founder and chief executive, said on X that the abort was triggered by a piece of ground support equipment that had not reached its target in the allocated time.
“We like everything on the ground to be just as happy as everything in the sky,” he added.
Rocket Lab said a further launch would not be attempted on Thursday, and the team was now assessing opportunities for the next launch attempt.
This mission, dubbed “Kineis Killed the RaIOT Star”, was meant to be the 53rd Electron rocket launch, according to the company.
(Reporting by Lucy Craymer; Editing by Sonali Paul)
