Science Media Centre

Rocket Lab launched its Electron rocket yesterday from the Māhia Peninsula. #ItsaTest ©Rocket Lab Despite not reaching orbit, the company announced it successfully made it to space, marking the first orbital-class rocket launched from a private launch site. The SMC gathered expert reaction about the launch. Feel free to use these comments in your reporting. […]

Yesterday marked the start of the ten-day window in which Rocket Lab will attempt to launch its Electron rocket from the Mahia Peninsula in the Northern Hawkes Bay.  If they succeed, this will be the first rocket launched into space from New Zealand, making us the 11th country to do so. After high winds scrubbed […]

Our friends at the Australian Science Media Centre have collected useful background, resources and commentary ahead of the re-entry: NASA’s Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) is expected to return to Earth tomorrow morning (Saturday 24 September) Australian time. Its exact re-entry time and location will be known with more certainty closer to its landing. The […]

UPDATE: ATV Launch successful (see below) This week, top scientists from the European Space Agency are in New Zealand for the launch of the ‘Johannes Kepler’ unmanned spacecraft, which will be tracked at Awarua Station near Invercargill. The new spacecraft, known as an Automated Transfer Vehicle or ATV, will carry essential supplies to the International […]

NASA’s attempt to launch a carbon emissions-monitoring satellite into space has failed with the US$278 million Orbiting Carbon Observatory crashing into the Indian Ocean shortly after launch. News wrap: Washington Post: NASA Satellite Crashes Before Reaching Orbit Reuters: Botched launch ends US satellite’s mission The British Science Media Centre gathered comment from UK-based scientists on […]