Rocket Lab fired up a Rutherford engine from one of its space-flown Electron boosters this week for the very first time. The test fire is a milestone in the company's efforts to create boosters that can go to space and back again repeatedly, as the first stages of SpaceX's workhorse Falcon 9 already do.
Early data from the 200-second test fire show that the engine "performed to the same standard of a newly built Rutherford engine.
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Very impressive. I'm surprised an engine built of 3D printed alloy could survive flight and still be able to fly afterwards without several attempts and refinements and RUDs. How much of the engine they replaced to get it operable again? 🤔
This engine has been to space and back. They proved it could go again. They've successfully test fired a recovered Rutherford engine for the first time , this is a significant technical milestone on their path to make Electron a reusable rocket! 🚀