"Today marks the beginning of a new era in commercial access to space," said Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck. Rocket Lab built its own launchpad on New Zealand's North Island rather than paying to use existing space industry infrastructure. Rocket Lab was founded more than 10 years ago by Beck, a New Zealand aerospace engineer. Liftoff from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1. #StillTesting pic.twitter.com/BwXqrxa6Y6 — Rocket Lab (@RocketLab) January 21, 2018Its initial success invites comparisons with SpaceX, the space exploration startup headed by Elon Musk.

Source: CNN January 22, 2018 07:07 UTC