Innovation

Rocket Lab US

Ever since the German V-2 crossed the space boundary in 1944, the so-called final frontier has become pretty crowded. Today, there are many space rockets (technically called space launch systems) reaching orbit, some famous and several less known. Whether it's to deliver 5G satellites, Moon fly-bys, low Earth orbit internet services, or pop stars and Star Trek captains, here are several notable space rocket families.

Not all rockets need to be enormous to make a big impact. The Electron rockets, operated by US-based Rocket Lab, have had nearly 90 successful launches since 2017, carrying 300kg payloads into low Earth orbit. Notable for their extensive use of 3D-printed components, the Electron rockets, which are around 18m tall, focus on affordable space delivery for commercial and nation-state customers, including CubeSat deployments such as NASA's CAPSTONE mission.