Rocket Lab, a space travel and launch company, announced planning to reuse pre-flown 3D-printed Rutherford engines in upcoming Electron missions in a bid to make the Electron launch vehicle a reusable rocket.

For the initial phase of this program, the company will be using a 3D-printed engine recovered from the “There and Back Again” mission launched in May 2022. According to Rocket Lab, this engine has successfully undergone comprehensive full-mission duration hot fire testing and has been given the green light by the propulsion team.

The recovered engine will be attached to an upcoming commercial mission in Q3 2023 as Electron rockets slated to launch in Q2 2023 have already been integrated with new and complete Rutherford powerpack assemblies. 

Working toward reusability, Rocket Lab has recovered hardware and the first stages from six Electron missions so far, with the latest recovery coming from “The Beat Goes On” mission launched in March 2023. The company is employing two recovery methods (marine recovery and mid-air capture) and will consider flying a complete pre-flown, first-stage booster depending on the success of the Q3 launch of the pre-flow engine.

Analyst QuickTake: Rocket launches have always been an expensive undertaking given the cost of materials, fuel, and a variety of other factors that go into a successful launch. Companies such as SpaceX and Blue Origin have been successful with reusable launch vehicles, which drastically bring down the cost of launches, while Relativity Space is working toward a fully reusable 3D-printed rocket. Given the current standing of Rocket Lab, the success of the reusability program will pave the way for more relatively cheap launch options to enter the market.