Is Rocket Lab the new SpaceX? The Electron VS Falcon
What rocket has 9 engines on its first stage, is built by a privately owned aerospace company, uses the most advanced manufacturing techniques available, is one of the cheapest rides to space and has a body that’s almost entirely made out of carbon fiber?
If you said SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket you’d be wrong! (its body is aluminum)
Move over SpaceX, there’s a new kid on the block! Well, maybe not move over, but pull up a chair to the orbital class rocket table! That’s right, Rocket Lab has officially become the second privately owned rocket company to achieve orbit with their beautiful Electron rocket.
Today we’re going to give you a deep run down on some of the exciting features about the Electron, then we’re going to compare it to similar rockets including other upcoming small sat rockets, and past small sat rockets like SpaceX’s Falcon 1.
We’re even going to throw in a Falcon 9 for comparison and see which rocket takes the cake for the cheapest ride to space with a cost per kilogram comparison. Oh, and I mean it when I say cake, I got this for the winner.
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"Still Testing" sounds like a rocket name straight from KSP.
Also kind of reminds me of The Culture ship names
kulang sa pansin bobo😒
Both SpaceX and Rocketlab seem to be straight from KSP. Honestly I hold Nasa in high regard but that these small companies are breaking all these records makes Nasa seem a bit incompetent after all these years of really not doing much. It's a great lesson on what happens when people really go after a goal instead of just catering to the whims of Politicians.
OMG DUDE I WATCHED YOUR VIDEOS LOTS OF TIMES WHY DON'T U UPLOAD MORE
@@johannesdolch The trouble with NASA is the same of any government work, or nationalized companies. Their hands become tied from the whims of politicians rather than follow things that make sense, their leaders are politically appointed and instead of having a lean and efficient organization, they have the typical bureaucratic opposite of efficiency and leanness that cripples the last chance of success. It's a small wonder the organization functions at all.
10:45 When somebody asks you to describe a rocket... "its a muffin inside of a doughnut inside of a doughnut."
I'm waiting for someone to describe Blue Origin's rocket. 😁
We all know what Blue Origin's rocket looks like. And it's much smaller and less satisfying than the SpaceX machine. :-D
My Name falcon looks like a sperm, blue origin looks like a dildo
It's a series of tubes!
It is like a tic tac inside a rolo inside a bagle which is in bangladesh.
Space X: humans to ISS. Rocket lab: tiny payloads. Blue origin: no orbits.
*sub orbital
@@YaItxSmoothy Sorry!
Blue origin is blue for sad
yeah lol, even now this is still true
*Giant flying dong
This video was recommended to me today--after Rocket Lab's 13th flight... talk about unfortunate timing...
Well rocket lab is now cursed
@@littlegamer00 :DDDD
Rocket lab is making a new rocket!!
i here after its 20th...
I'm here a year later.
Used to work there (Rocket Lab) as a propulsion engineer. Neat to see how far they've come :) Really like the electric turbopump. As you point out Tim, this would be _fantastic_ for controlled landings, with near-millisecond responsiveness for thrust level.
That’s awesome!!! Yes. Yes they would!
AntiangelRaphael No, I don't believe they are targeting reusability... _yet_ ; they're only targeting the nascent small-sat market currently (small rockets just don't have the mass fraction necessary to enable that and still deliver useful payload mass, as Tim pointed out in the video!). That being said, this is likely to be largely because they didn't have much funding at first so it was really the only viable business plan. After they start generating some real income I can definitely see them wanting to branch out, as they're very ambitious (were when I was there, and this certainly doesn't appear to have changed.... more the opposite I'd think!) - they've got the key technologies mostly in place, and that electric turbopump innovation would, as mentioned, give them a real edge in perfecting vertical landings
My question is, what happens to the batteries that get ejected? Do they fall back to Earth and pollute or do they have a way to recover them?
Why did you part ways?
And how does one get into this industry?
This channel is great not just because of excellent content but also it uses metrics!!
why you gotta hate just appreciate the freedom system
@@dylanstewart5580 don'tbe ridiculous. The imperial system sucks.
@@dylanstewart5580 metric system is used by the space agency. And if you watch a spacex live you will see that theu use km/h insted of m/h
About time an true blue American boy grabs the metric batton. Keep on running Mr EDA!!!
I'm american so I don't like the metric system
As a New Zealander I'm very excited about Rocket Lab & the future of the space industry in my country. I love how they work in little bits of kiwi symbols or imagery into their work (from the black colour of the rocket to the naming of the engines after our greatest scientist). Also well done on the pronunciation of Māhia!
Woah I got mahia right?! That’s surprising to me 😂
At least you kiwis have a rocket program. Australia is to lazy. Although there have been talks about a program I don’t recon it’s going to happen any time soon. I hope it’s soon though.
KingJoe * you guys probably would drop all your spent stages on us 😂😂
KIngJoe - Well, there's a Kiwi subsidiary of a US company that launches NZ-designed US-manufactured rockets and engines from a NZ launch complex only because it has permission to launch with high frequency. It's great to see but it's not quite the same things as saying NZ has a a rocket program. I'm sure Aussie will get there with something called the Roo Rocket.
KingJoe * check out gilmour space technologies on the gold coast. Their hybrid rocket engine is looking pretty great. Maybe us Aussies will have an orbital rocket in the not too distant future.
Proton, electron... All we need now is neutron rocket ;-)
Call a new engine "Up Quark", the propulsive landing system the "Down Quark", and the rocket "Baryon".
With an Up Quark and a Down Quark, seems like yo ought to get an Odo in there somewhere.
Well, I was going for the subatomic particles rather than DS9 references, but I guess that's fine too.
If Rocket Lab creates a bigger rocket, call it the atom. And if it makes an even bigger rocket, call it the molecule
@AntiangelRaphael Soviet Union
Can you launch an Electron Rocket on a Falcon 9?
I'm not sure it would fit in the fairing
quadrplax It would fit in a BFS
Why would you?
FOR SCIENCE!!! (and it'd be awesome)
elad lerner sadly, the electron is 4 meters to tall to fit in the fairing
Well researched, intelligent, high production values, just enough over the top to be entertaining without being ridiculous... Kudos, good sir, for your most excellent videos!
SpaceX is mush more better...................but...............NASA ua the worst.They can't even use the billions of doller porpely
@@chiujiayi277 u can't even use your keyboard properly...
@@elschlonzo7204 be careful. You'll be charged for murdering him with words😂
@@manashejmadi lol
"It's Business time!" - Flight of the Conchords (of NZ)
I'm (quietly) singing that song right now :P
You should Livestream the next electron launch.
Is there another stream for their launches?
moesgymmom agreed!
Dixi, just subscribe to their KZhead channel. They stream their launches on there.
I've watched the "Still Testing" aborted and successful launch. I was just wonderful. I cannot wait for the next launch! I even ordered the official Rocket Lab stamps from the New Zealand Post. They should be there in a few days!
Nice! The calculations about cost per kg are debatable, since you cannot order a 5M falcon 9 rocket to put your small sat into space, you would have to rideshare.
I have a feeling that, even though Peter Beck and Rocket Lab never tire of saying they are "laser focused" on the smallsat market, I am almost certain that they have something bigger in store - that they just aren't telling us about yet. Here's why. (1) They have a history of being scrappy and innovative: First all-carbon fiber orbital rocket. First electric pumped engines. First with fully 3d printed engines. They developed, patented, and probably used in their kick stage, a patented propellant type: Viscous Liquid Monopropellant, which has higher claimed ISP than any other practical non-solid monoprop. (2) They have a history of keeping fairly big things secret. Nobody knew about Humanity Star or the kick stage until after the launch. (3) They have already filed a patent for a rocket engine called "Einstein." Rocket Lab has the right DNA to do big things in space. They just choose not to advertise everything that they're working on. Blue Origin's motto is "Gradually Ferocious", SpaceX's should be "Mars or Bust", and Rocket Lab's seems to be "Speak softly and carry a big stick."
Well now they introduced Neutron, and have even tested re-using electron so I would say that you were right :D
@@kalletaimi5094 Well, I wasn't right about VLM in the kick stage (Peter Beck answered that question for me in a Reddit AMA a while back!) but I do stand by my statements that, in spite of all they've revealed since then, including 1st stage recovery, Neutron, and Human spaceflight ambitions(!!!!), they probably have *even bigger* things in store that they haven't revealed yet. At this point, they might not catch SpaceX, but they might well catch Blue Origin. (Maybe they'll call their 3rd rocket, even bigger than Neutron, and fully reusable, "Alpha" after alpha particles!)
Great and in depth video
Big fan
I also your fan and subscriber
Rocket lab is making a new rocket!!
Sir shoutout this channel by your channel
I've been subbed a few weeks now, really glad I stuck around. Great videos. Cheers, from Ireland
Well thank you for sticking around! That means a lot 👍
I've been going through everyday astronaut withdraw lol. I really need to join the patron group when I get paid. Well worth the money because my 5 year old son love watching your videos with me.
Aww that means a lot! Tell your son hi!
He just screamed and said hi nice to meet you Mr astronaut lol
If you ever come thru the Cleveland area we would love to take you on a tour of the glenn research facility.
How does it work? You send him direct donations?
Eric Decamps I believe it's in the description above and you get a lot of extras and exclusive content. Like I said I'm going to do it for sure
Thank you for bring space down to Earth, not just for every day people, but for the Son of God too! Praise be! Great video!
Why jdawg, why
Lmaoo how jesus how why when
Why do I see you so much in the top of the community messages of this channel
Same
Give me a pic of ur grandparents dude
I got a ULA ad on this video. LOL. Poor ULA. They went from hero to zero in such a short time.
I came across you Tim by chance and have since watched a few of your videos and lives, I knew hardly anything about space flight but I'm learning loads thanks to you. Keep making videos that help to explain rocket science and everything that encompasses to people like me, you explain it so well in such basic ways that's easy to follow 👍
Congrats on 100k!
I love how information dense these videos are.
Dude, you are getting better in every video. I'm impressed! Loving this kind of super informative, with information scrapped, that I never heard in anywhere video format. Thanks!!!
Hey thank you! That means a lot! I work really hard on these videos so I’m glad the effort pays off 🙏
Once again, thank you Tim. Great video, very informative, and fun as always. Best to you from San Francisco, CA.
The cake :(
@Fastpenguin f
Almost cried
F
TOp 10 saddest anime deaths
...was a lie
Just announced 3 minutes ago, Space Labs “It’s Business Time” will launch on 20th April.
Well, we already have small sats, microsats, nanosats, picosats... When do we get the picolanders?
I like how you use KSP to explain things. Great work!
I've been binging on your videos. Great work Tim, well done.
100k! Dances while blowing Jovian Moon Run. Congratulations Tim. Been here for a long time. Love you and your work!
Thanks for the update. I honestly had never heard of Rocket Lab until just now. Go figure.
*Hey Everyone* *Let's raise money by launching rockets in KSP for Tim to get a New Cake :D*
Jebediah Kerman Great idea
Nasa Launch Streams, I like your profile pick, it's kinda familiar, idk why though ???
Jebediah Kerman how do u do the bolder text
Ha
BR0TH3R TUB3 *you use asterisk*
I am actually nerding out right now. Waited for a new video! Thanks!
Excellent in-depth look at a new entrant into the private launch arena. This is why I subscribed and why many more surely will. Thanks!
I don't see how this channel only has 104k subs. The quality of content that is put out is well worth over 1m subs! Keep up the good work!
I think his channel is just picking up right now.
i am from the future... i just watched this video...1.23M subs as planned ...pinky and the brain
@@DS-nv8bi And going to the moon babyyyyy (literally)!
Who's here after the announcement of Neutron?
More please. Excellent podcast for the casual space enthusiast. Thanks. Keep up the awesome work!
Being an Aussie, I'm excited about the fact that a private space launch company wants to launch regularly from the southern hemisphere. That was a very well researched presentation, Tim. Thanks.
How d, everyday astronaut, where are you dude just noticed it's been 3 weeks since your last video, I hope everything is going good and would love an update on when your posting your next video, love all your work. thank you for the massive amount of effort that you put into every one of your video's and I hope I speak for everyone when I say your one of the very best you tubers out there and it's a massive privilege to watch and enjoy all your hard work and your enthusiasm. keep up the great work.
Hey Marc! Thanks for reaching out! I’ve been on a secret mission for the past several weeks. I’m finally going to be home today and back to work!
it's business time, a song by the New Zealand comedy troupe flight of the Concords
Since spacex latest test I got to your channel, and basically go through all of your videos, and it is really great and informative to me till now! Thanks! That Spanish donut space vehicle is rather interesting would like to know more about that indeed.
That cakey splashdown broke my heart. I've subbed to try and get over it.
You will reach one million views on one video one day. Keep doing what you are doing!
I think you'll be the leader of the next upcoming space era👍
Aww wow! Thank you! I’m not sure I’ll be the leader but I’ll certainly be a loud cheerleader 😂
I'm sorry to say but the official SpaceX live videos are boring to death. Many people on space groups on Facebook keep recommending your channel and now I know why. Both live and edited videos are great!
Hey Tim, have you done the video on air launch vehicles? Keep up the good work man, love it
KSP taught me so much about rockets and orbits. Apoapsis and Periapsis, Delta V, Hohmann transfers, solid fuel vs liquid fuel and how oxidisers work, mono propellant and thrusters, the list goes on... Such a valuable and revolutionary education tool with a fun game style theme and progression. I've gotten over seeing pure KSP videos but its refreshing to see you use them briefly for explaining real life concepts. You need more subs cause your videos are excellently made. I will use them as inspiration when I move into rocket science for my own videos. Fun facts: Apoapsis is the universal name for the highest point of an orbit. apogee is the word explaining the apoapsis when you are orbiting earth and aphelion is when orbiting the sun.
I read the description and realized that the whole intro was written in the description
Can you do a video which details the differences in how the pumps actually function?
haven't even seen the video yet, but thumbs up right after the cake drop. hilarious
My heart sank at the sight of the cake falling cause the disappointed expression on your face was just ahhhhhh i understand it was on purpose but still
Will you go to the first manned Dragon2 launch?
I hope so
moesgymmom is that a question?
When is that?
Isn't Tim riding that one?
Dragon 2 will not be human capable
It's fun to compare different rockets. However, I think you should have emphasized the different mission statement more. SpaceX's mission is to get to Mars, doing so as cheap, large and fast as humanly possible! That means SpaceX leaves a gap in the market for other companies to fill. Like small payloads, fast construction/ordering time and small distances. But indeed like you did mention, being the only client on the payload. Wich is preferable for a lot of customers I would imagine. Hope you don't mind some constructive criticism, love your work. Big fan!
Good point. Comparing SpaceX and Rocket Lab as they currently operate is like comparing a truck company to a motorcycle company. They have completely different mission capabilities and limitations. In addition SpaceX has several very different launch systems either available or in development. They are complimentary operations more than competing ones so the "versus" label isn't quite accurate. But very good video from Tim as usual.
I personally think that he made that perfectly clear.
Yay! A channel that is as excited and obsessed with space travel and exploration as I am!
Another great video. Today was such a good day for content on my subs!! 😀
I feel proud to be a New Zealander!
You should be.
Should be! lovely country!
Just imagine you doing a video with amy from vintage space, scott manley, and lei from curious elephant
AWW, just watched your talk yesterday and now noticed the photos on the wall including the "I always knew what I wanted to be...". :) Also, thanks for pointing out another awesome company I hadn't heard anything about so far!
Informative and cool thanks ,subd dude from South Wales in the Uk
What wait the cake drop at the beginning was real? I thought it was a prop.
0:02 THE ELECTRON, no i didn't skip ahead to get the answer.
Hehehe good work 😂
This is some of the best research on the web, it is meaningful with regard to understanding how we can get experiments into space. Thank you.
Feels great to be a New Zealander and to have a strong connection to aerospace engineering.
Competition drives prices down and quality up. Faster, please.
Let me paraphrase our Lord, Elon Musk: "Peter who? Did you see their rocket?" Spacex has no competition.
People were paying SpaceX money to fly those secondary smallsat missions. Now there's someone else they can pay. That's competition.
Ok. Go then, open a coffee shop and sell coffee for 22$ a cup. People will be like: I ll go to Jeffersonbucks, because now I can give my money to someone else than starbucks!
How much did the first pocket calculator cost? And how do its price and features compare to what you can get in the school-supplies aisle at the supermarket today? Things get better and cheaper with time. Rational adults understand this. You... have a lot of hate inside you, don't you? Maybe you... *like* the idea of a monopoly? Maybe, like Neil deGrasse Tyson, the TV presenter who pretends to be a Real Scientist, you believe Only Governments Can Go To Space? Maybe you think nobody should ever do anything without some government's permission? You watch these videos, you have the time and energy to comment on them, and you can't be happy that more people are finding more ways to get more use from space? Are you... what, throwing a tantrum because no one's offering you a free ride to Barsoom? I really can't understand where all your venom is coming from. Elon appears to share the Prophet Heinlein's philosophy that "the planet Earth is too small and fragile a basket for the human race to keep all its eggs in." I would expect a space enthusiast to be enthusiastic about *anything* that, directly or indirectly, increases the odds of getting off this rock before something kills us all.
pafnucek "Jeff who?"
What are the Rutherford engines printed out of that can survive the furious heat of burning oxygen and rp1?
Titanium is often 3D printed in the aerospace industry. And considering Tim said it is printed using EBM technology I'm almost certain it is titanium.
Could also be inconel :)
Likely inconel, there is a group developing a hobby liquid fuel rocket engine that's 3d printed inconel. You can find them on r/rocketry
Mike P Inconel 718 probably, same as SuperDraco
We can 3D-print other things than plastic by now.
Tim another great video. I learn something every time you make a video. I'm hoping some day you can do an episode on the Lunar Express mission that Rocket Lab is powering. Cheers and please keep up the great work!
Awesome video, thank you for the detailed info about Electron! Thank you for correcting me too, really appreciated!
Omg!!!! I've had a videochat with Peter beck!!!! (that's the guy who designed and built it, and leads the company) bet ur jealose😋 Greetings from New zealand
Well, we already have small sats, microsats, nanosats, picosats... When do we get the picolanders?
That’ll be adorable, with Micro Rovers
I think it's awesome to see the space industry shifting into private companies hands. And I look forward to seeing you bringing us the best news and information about space exploration!
I love your videos! Super informative! Also, you said Coyd's Lab in the description. FIX IT
I think we have another competitor for the space race:) (I would love to go to the moon one day)
Digital Pyro Not really, for now Rocket Lab is only on the light comercial side of things. Meaning it can't do much for space exploration, but SpaceX was also there once and Rocket Lab does have some really cool technologies which would be awesome if they manage to scale them to a medium/heavy orbital class launch veichel.
Digital Pyro I'm with you. I've been saying for a few years now: I *will* go to the moon some day in my life! I don't even need to land. I really want to see the Earth from the same perspective that I look up and see the moon every night. I want to see the massive moon under me and the small Earth in the distance. I'd be happy just swinging around the moon to get this view.
Maybe not rocket lab but Maybe Boeing (With SLS) ULA, And Blue origin once they get new glenn up and running
Andy Oliphant Exactly that! But I'd love to actually walk on the lunar surface as well. I don't know, everytime I think of it I feel strange. Just imagine seeing the earth come up from a place so far away from home. With Elon in this world, I am very confident that I will actually be doing this. Even if this means that I have to save up money for 50 years to do so
No, no because this is just plain stupid. Detaching batteries ? Seriously ? Don't we have enough garbage in the ocean now ?
The cake is a lie.
This, is a greate episode, i learned so much. Thx
This Channel is so cool. It always updates us about Space.
SpaceX Rocks... SPACEX WILL ALWAYS BE ON LEAD... I love SpaceX.. Thnks for the video and Thnks mr.Musk..
The dubbing at 13:55 lol I almost missed it
Haha yeah it’s a bad one! Haha
I had to go back and watch. I completely missed it the first time. Nice dub job!
why would u look at his lips? I was busy laughing at the size comparison :D
If english is not your first language, looking at the lips of the person you're talking to helps to understand things better.
Schrader, English is not my first language either, its my 3rd language. i look at the lips only if a hot girl is speaking 😂
you dropping cake legitimately broke my lil heart and your face afterwards made me feel so bad
Isn't the body of the F9 made out of an Aluminum-Lithium-Alloy? :D
But..but...where any cakes hurt in making of this video?
I love that you depicted the Crew Dragon on the Block 5 Falcon 9 - I would have made the same choice! ('Course, I've got a Crew Dragon on my Falcon Heavy model rocket - a configuration which will never be launched... :-( ). As usual, you did the best job I've seen yet of breaking-down the cost per kg to orbit; a detailed, but interesting description of the features of the Electron, etc. I ALWAYS learn something from your videos - and I consider myself better-informed than most on space history and new developments. Great job, as always!
I love you, Mr. Dodd. Silly and informative. Keep the Helmet on!
What about Black Arrow? Also what's the Elon Musk tweets framed in the background?
Nobody's gonna talk about that Tim just dropped a perfectly good cake
Wow this channel have the best content plus you can learn some rocket company
Great video! It would be very interesting to hear more about the Electrons battery system, it should be rather special given the mass restrictions.
Are you going to livestream the TESS launch today?
I am!!!! Yay!!!!
I'm so excited that a company like Rocket Lab exists! SpaceX is cool and all, but I'd assume that most people who want to put a satellite into orbit would also want to put it up there quickly.
You do awesome work man!
I'm enjoying your videos Tim, thanks. Maybe you need to listen to the New Zealand duo Flight of the Concords and their classic, Business time.
I never want to hold again
As a kiwi I'm extremely proud of us 😂😂😂💖
Thanks a lot ! That's making things realy clear ! Could you do an episode about fuel used by launchers ?
Wow love to see the new companies rising and joining the new space race
How can they be the new space x? Totally different ideas from each company, maybe they will work together
The cake is a lie ;)
Thank you Rocket Labs - you've inspired me to give the green-light on a space Startup 🚀
yo tim you are ahead of the game man! Keep up the good work!
The cake is a lie. The cake is a lie.
Their CEO looks suspicious
He is
He got nothing on elon
The Kiwis will invade.
what do you expect from someone in the Witness Relocation Program?
Great video. Did not know about the other companies.
Thanks for your awesome content!
Why don't they land the Electron Rocket with parachutes?
Same reason SpaceX doesn’t land using parachutes. It’s not a very practical thing especially if dunking sensitive equipment in salt water
Everyday Astronaut, thank you senpai
SMART reuse could be viable for Electron though
AntiangelRaphael couldn't you wait for gravity to slow it (after all, it did just accelerate upwards)
The empty first stage is probably light enough that you could catch it with a helicopter when it is dangling under a chute. Sort of like how they used to catch capsules with film from spy satellites before the digital age.