Rocket Lab’s Neutron launch pad now complete at Wallops IslandJeff Edmondson
WAVYThu, August 28, 2025 at 6:37 PM EDT
2 min read
WALLOPS ISLAND, Va. (WAVY) — The Virginia Spaceport Authority’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport’s Launch Complex 3, home for Rocket Lab’s newest reusable rocket, Neutron, is now complete and celebrated its official opening Thursday.
Officials said Launch Complex 3 is ready to bring the largest orbital launch capacity in the Spaceport’s history with Neutron, Rocket Lab’s reusable launch vehicle, a medium-lift vehicle, capable of launching 33,000 pounds to space for commercial constellations, national security and interplanetary missions — and eventually, flights by humans into space.
Neutron will be the largest rocket to launch from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, otherwise known as MARS, and the first reusable one to launch here.
“This is a total gamechanger, and it’s because of that, that the Commonwealth of Virginia continues to not just to be a supporter, but we are marching arm-in-arm with NASA, with Wallops and with Rocket Lab.” said Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin.
Rocket Lab is no stranger to Virginia, as the first rocket it launched from Wallops was in January 2023.
“There’s a barge that we have aptly named Return on Investment that’s just off the coast,” said Sir Peter Beck, Rocket Lab CEO. “The Stage 1 goes through a suborbital ballistic arc and we land back on that barge, the barge comes back in here, and we offload the Neutron vehicle and it goes straight back on the pad. We’re trying as hard as we can to get this on the pad by the end of the year and get it away.”
With this recent expansion, the Virginia Spaceport is now able to launch a variety of rockets from its multiple launch pads.
“And for the first time in history of any Spaceport in the country, Pad 0a will be launching two different kinds of rockets from two different customers off the same pad,” said Ted Mercer, CEO and executive director of the Virginia Spaceport Authority. “It’s greater economic development and assured access to space for this country, fulfills our ability, now, to be a complete backup to Cape Canaveral. We now have the ability to launch small, medium and large payloads to orbit.”
The first launch to space from this pad could happen soon, and with a rocket that is 141 feet tall and 23 feet wide, watching it lift off should be quite a sight. 10 On Your Side keep you updated with when it will first take flight.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/rocket-lab-neutron-launch-pad-223706712.html
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