4 ms·

I believe rockets are under ITAR regardless.

p_l 6y ago
Their choice of NZ launch location confused me a bit. But ITAR-free (effectively "USA-free") is a big important thing to offer if possible.
- mrDmrTmrJ 6y ago
  I'd argue the opposite. The revenue potential of selling to the entire US government far outweighs the revenue potential of the rest of the world combined as Europe, China, and Russian already have national champions and closed launch markets. Going with ITAR, and US sales, and US investors, is exactly why RocketLab became a US company. If you look at their flight manifest so far, it's certainly worked out for them! Indeed, you can argue that ITAR is the single most effective industrial policy in the US by comparing the health of the US rocket manufacturing base to the relative health of all other US manufacturing industries.
- myself248 6y ago
  Why is that? I've understood that the US places restrictions on payloads that carry cameras, and from that alone, I could see that getting out from under those restrictions could be valuable. But what else?
  - sandworm101 6y ago
    >> But what else? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Traffic_in_Arms_Regulations#Classification_of_Defense_Articles https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Traffic_in_Arms_... IV: Launch Vehicles, Guided Missiles, Ballistic Missiles, Rockets, Torpedoes, Bombs and Mines V: Explosives and Energetic Materials, Propellants, Incendiary Agents and Their Constituents XII: Fire Control, Range Finder, Optical and Guidance and Control Equipment XV: Spacecraft Systems and Associated Equipment https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=86008bdffd1fb2e79cc5df41a180750a&node=22:1.0.1.13.58 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=86008bdffd1fb2e79c... (1) Rockets, SLVs, and missiles capable of delivering at least a 500-kg payload to a range of at least 300 km (MT); (2) Rockets, SLVs, and missiles capable of delivering less than a 500-kg payload to a range of at least 300 km (MT); [...] (12) Thrusters (e.g., spacecraft or rocket engines) using bi-propellants or mono-propellant that provide greater than 150 lbf (i.e., 667.23 N) vacuum thrust (MT for rocket motors or engines having a total impulse capacity equal to or greater than 8.41 × 10^5 newton seconds); (13) Control moment gyroscope (CMG) specially designed for spacecraft; And lots more stuff.
  - p_l 6y ago
    Just talking with a supplier while integrating your payload under ITAR can bring enough problems. Hell, US military sales, directly approved by Department of State, ended sometimes canceled because despite the usual circus of bribery involved ITAR was just that much of an impediment.

p_l 6y ago

Their choice of NZ launch location confused me a bit. But ITAR-free (effectively "USA-free") is a big important thing to offer if possible.

mrDmrTmrJ 6y ago
I'd argue the opposite. The revenue potential of selling to the entire US government far outweighs the revenue potential of the rest of the world combined as Europe, China, and Russian already have national champions and closed launch markets. Going with ITAR, and US sales, and US investors, is exactly why RocketLab became a US company. If you look at their flight manifest so far, it's certainly worked out for them! Indeed, you can argue that ITAR is the single most effective industrial policy in the US by comparing the health of the US rocket manufacturing base to the relative health of all other US manufacturing industries.
myself248 6y ago
Why is that? I've understood that the US places restrictions on payloads that carry cameras, and from that alone, I could see that getting out from under those restrictions could be valuable. But what else?
- sandworm101 6y ago
  >> But what else? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Traffic_in_Arms_Regulations#Classification_of_Defense_Articles https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Traffic_in_Arms_... IV: Launch Vehicles, Guided Missiles, Ballistic Missiles, Rockets, Torpedoes, Bombs and Mines V: Explosives and Energetic Materials, Propellants, Incendiary Agents and Their Constituents XII: Fire Control, Range Finder, Optical and Guidance and Control Equipment XV: Spacecraft Systems and Associated Equipment https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=86008bdffd1fb2e79cc5df41a180750a&node=22:1.0.1.13.58 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=86008bdffd1fb2e79c... (1) Rockets, SLVs, and missiles capable of delivering at least a 500-kg payload to a range of at least 300 km (MT); (2) Rockets, SLVs, and missiles capable of delivering less than a 500-kg payload to a range of at least 300 km (MT); [...] (12) Thrusters (e.g., spacecraft or rocket engines) using bi-propellants or mono-propellant that provide greater than 150 lbf (i.e., 667.23 N) vacuum thrust (MT for rocket motors or engines having a total impulse capacity equal to or greater than 8.41 × 10^5 newton seconds); (13) Control moment gyroscope (CMG) specially designed for spacecraft; And lots more stuff.
- p_l 6y ago
  Just talking with a supplier while integrating your payload under ITAR can bring enough problems. Hell, US military sales, directly approved by Department of State, ended sometimes canceled because despite the usual circus of bribery involved ITAR was just that much of an impediment.