Archimedes Test Complex Opens at Stennis Space Center
The Archimedes engine text complex opened last Friday with a ribbon cutting ceremony at NASA’s historic Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. The Archimedes Test Complex will be home to engine testing for the 165,000 lbf engines to be used on Rocket Lab’s reusable Neutron rocket.
“With finalization of this agreement, we look forward to working with Rocket Lab as it develops and moves forward in achieving its space goals."
Stennis Space Center Director Rick Gilbrech
The Archimedes Test Complex is located across a 1 million square foot area at the Stennis Space Center’s A Test Complex and includes use and development of existing infrastructure of the A-3 Test Stand to develop and test Neutron’s Archimedes engines. With the opening of the Archimedes Test Complex, Rocket Lab will be able to create dozens of new jobs and make significant capital investments in the state of Mississippi.
Neutron is Rocket Lab’s reusable rocket in development, designed as a cost-effective, reliable, and responsive launch service to help build mega-constellations, deliver large spacecraft to low-Earth orbit, geostationary orbit, and interplanetary destination. Neutron is also being designed to be human spaceflight capable in future.
Archimedes Text Complex was Announced Just a Few Weeks Ago
"It was only a few weeks ago when we announced Stennis as the location of our Archimedes Test Complex and we’re already fast at work to get the site up and running to deliver Neutron," said Rocket Lab Founder and CEO, Peter Beck. "Thanks to our partnership with NASA and the state of Mississippi, we can begin to develop the existing infrastructure and test stand at Stennis to fast-track Neutron’s first launch. We look forward to breathing fire in the great state of Mississippi.”
“We are pleased that Rocket Lab selected Stennis Space Center for development of its new test complex,” said Stennis Space Center Director Rick Gilbrech. “With finalization of this agreement, we look forward to working with Rocket Lab as it develops and moves forward in achieving its space goals. This represents an exciting opportunity not only for Stennis but also for the Gulf Coast region and the entire state of Mississippi.”
The Archimedes Test Complex will complement the under-construction Neutron Production Complex and launch site at Wallops Island, within the NASA Wallops Flight Facility and Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. Together, the two sites can create hundreds of jobs on over two million square feet of operations for Neutron’s production, testing, and launch facilities.
(Images provided with Rocket Lab news release and from file)