Talking about Rocket Lab’s Neutron with Peter Beck

[@avsrule247]

You gotta love Peter taking the time and giving interviews to NSF and Tim. Having guys like Peter and Elon so open with the development and down to Earth about the design of a rocket help get people excited and most importantly inspire the next generation of engineers to pursue such ambitious goals. When I was growing up you had politicians or PR reps talking about space and rockets without actually understanding what they were talking about. Was super dry and hard to follow. Great interview!

[@phoenix0166]

@@masbestiaquetu ? wym

[@kiwi_welltraveled4375]

@@masbestiaquetu Please, explain......

[@phoenix0166]

@@masbestiaquetu homie imma give you 12 hours before I assume bias

[@masbestiaquetu]

@@phoenix0166 only employs white people; when asked about it they said “we have talent based on talent”… only white ppl talented enough to cover space?

[@phoenix0166]

@@masbestiaquetu I don’t remember this but ok

[@desmond-hawkins]

Oh man, first a massive documentary about Soviet rocket engines and now a 50-minute interview about Neutron? Couldn't have wished for better content from Tim for the end of the year!

[@rileyg6107]

+ AstroAwards soon probably

[@akira28shima32]

Putin loved the glorification of Mother Russia rockets!!

[@desmond-hawkins]

@@akira28shima32 You don't have to bring your propaganda here, neither do you _have_ to repeat the nonsense you heard on Fox News like a sheep, you know. It's possible to marvel at the amazing engineering feats of these teams without being a pro-Putin or pro-Stalin gulag apologist. Their engineering achievements speak for themselves and Tim's thorough review of the vast array of technologies they invented or experimented does a great job of showing how capable they were. Think for yourself, I know it's scary but try it one day.

[@antonlencses8622]

Whoosh

[@TOMiX1024]

Wait what, these are 50 minutes?!

[@jackkevillemedia]

Peter Beck's vision for space is underrated, he deserves a lot more support from the public.

[@TheDisgruntledImperial]

Exactly. Musk would be the first to admit that he can't do this on his own. We need more star power and space CEO celebrities besides Elon. Onwards to space!

[@tonii5690]

@@TheDisgruntledImperial I understand the topic was the Neutron but for the Electron Peter Beck claimed there would be a launch a week. Obviously they are no where near that launch cadence. What was the holdup? Was it the 3d printed engines or the composite structure? It is hard to discuss SpaceX without sounding like a fanboy but this month Rocket Lab planned and executed one launch. SpaceX planned 5 launches and has executed four so far including a record breaking 11 launches from one booster. You can't argue with those results.

[@raifsevrence]

@@tonii5690 How bout that Tesla Self Driving Technology though ? It's not off topic. Elon has his failings as do other people. SpaceX has led the charge in the commercial space industry. They are the highest achievers in the industry to date. Making claims and failing to accomplish them is only an issue from a business standpoint. Failures are only failures if you do not learn , grow and evolve from them. As a people, as a society, we need these people to pursue these goals. Failure is part of the process. A part that cannot be avoided. The end result is progress.

[@hulk6315]

@@raifsevrence yes..and?

[@archigoel]

Tesla Self driving is literally the most advanced ADAS u can buy right now. Check out its latest 10.8 release, that is great stuff. Rocket Lab will get as much love as they show results. If their Neutron is as good as they expect, they will become huge.

[@Capt.Turner]

Elon and Peter are taking their time to talk to guys like Tim and NSF, which is great to begin with. But you guys are also savvy enough to make a great interview. Stuff like that wouldn't work on some TV channel with reporters who don't even know where the flamey end of the rocket is. Thanks Tim, once again, for your high quality in detail interview and thanks to Peter this time around for taking the time.

[@miroslavmilan]

Agreed. However, it’s funny that expending a rocket is still considered a “proper send-off”, for historical reasons, I guess. Imagine doing that with an airliner at the end of its service life, just fly over Pacific with tanks almost empty, leave it on autopilot and bail out 😄

[@mobiuscoreindustries]

@@miroslavmilan well rockets are meant to fly. And as Elon said himself : "Retired rockets are just lawn ornaments. Don't get me wrong, they are the best lawn ornaments but ultimately you don't want too many of them" I mean lool at SN-15 and 16. 15 did it's flight and was retired because it could never be used for much more and it's backup never even flew and they sort of have been standing there not doing much and just eating space at the scrap yard.

[@David-yo5ws]

@@mobiuscoreindustries I think they serve a purpose for a lot of the visitors to SpaceX. There is 'the' real, bona fide SN15, that they watched on multiple channels, standing there for them to see. The feeling you get when you see the 'actual article' of anything, is priceless.

[@user-zb8tq5pr4x]

Except peter actually knows what he's talking about and elon is completely clueless

[@mobiuscoreindustries]

@@user-zb8tq5pr4x watch the interview that Tim did with him (well the 3 part documentary really) and come back with that talk.

[@turmat01]

I am SO grateful to Peter Beck for being so available to give Tim some time like that. It has been a few exchanges now between these two and its fascinating stuff every time, even (especially?) for a seasoned space enthusiast!!!

[@michael-m]

Well said, my friend. Couldn't agree more. They have a good chemistry as well, so this doesn't hurt

[@turmat01]

@@michael-m I'll always remember when Tim talked about gimbling all engines inwards so that the plume-plume interaction makes some sort of an aerospike effect... And Peter's grin saying "oh there is stuff we can do! ;)"

[@kicka55]

@@turmat01 Aerospike effects without spike? Not possible.

[@turmat01]

@Not Bugarev yeah, no, we're just rocket nerds and KSP engineers! Its so cool that he does that!

[@HypaWave1701]

@Not Bugarev This vid definitely got me invested in RKLB.

[@Rocketguy6969]

its incredible to see Tim learn all these new things over the years. He went from wearing an astronaut suit to having legitimate engineering discussions with the best engineers in the world. As a fellow Iowan, i cheer you on!!

[@benjaminchristianhay]

What a gold mine, been gagging for all the nitty gritty about this Neutron redesign. To have Tim bringing us all the goodness really is the ultimate for me

[@HypaWave1701]

Agreed I'm glad I invested in Rocket Lab

[@StarshipFairing]

Wow, first a Peter Beck neutron interview with NASASpaceFlight, and now with Tim, all in one day?! We’ve been blessed!!!

[@ntrgc89]

Manley did one too!

[@rocketman1969]

Yes!

[@RichardMigneron]

And complementary, not the same questions !

[@TheKevlar]

A really substantial interview. Peter Beck seemed well focused and confident for all the right reasons. We can all watch Neutrons progress with great enthusiasm...

[@linecraftman3907]

SO much learned from Peter today!!! I believe these interviews are not only benefecial to us nerds but also to potential customers as this is quite good promotional material! Well done Tim and Tim's Team (hehe) and massive thanks to Peter Beck!

[@thecheaperthebetter4477]

I love how we can see such different approaches to reusability! Spacex: cheapest material, cutting edge rocket engines,highly complex ground services.... rocketlab: expensive material, low risk engine, simplified ground services.... we are going to the stars with this kind of lateral thinking!

[@HypaWave1701]

"Comes down to total cost" Get into RKLB can't believe how low this stock is 😳

[@PascalSchoenhardt]

Once starship is operational and in a "final" configuration where rapid iteration is no longer so important, I'd love to see them switch to carbon fiber for the booster. Get all of the amazing benefits of mass savings discussed in this video, combined with the super high performance state of the art engines, and the offloading of mass to "stage 0". Think of the performance of such a beast!

[@BrightBlueJim]

BOTH of these are the right answer. SpaceX is solving a different problem than Rocket Lab, and every engineering problem is one of optimization and compromises. Musk understands that the infrastructure is more expensive than the rocket, which is what Beck is saying. The difference to Musk is that you can build one stage 0 pad that services many stage 1 + stage 2 rockets, but for Beck, that stage 0 would be a higher fraction of the total cost, since he's building smaller rockets. We'll see what decisions he makes later on, as he moves on to bigger rockets.

[@JackMott]

@@BrightBlueJim i think elon was constrained by budget on starship. he has a harder problem to solve which puts more value in fast iteration but at some point composites will probably be better for starship too

[@user-zb8tq5pr4x]

@@BrightBlueJim No. You're completely wrong and everything you say is wrong. The real and only reason musk doesn't care about operational cost is because IT'S NOT HIS MONEY. Basically all money in spacex comes from NASA. It's basically the same reason the government doesn't care about how it spends the taxpayer's money. Musk doesn't either,

[@TexasKid747]

Tim Does it AGAIN! Never, have we been as close to a n y o n e in any NASA program. Awesome work with all your in-depth interviews with the "new" leaders and companies of the Space Industry. NASA gets its due as a great operational team player, but Tim gets the award for the best broadcasting in the industry. And THANKS to all the various company leaders who have participated and who can see the value from the work Tim has created, I am in awe and we viewers love it. Cheers from Texas.

[@aDifferentJT]

Wow, two updates from Peter in a single day!!! What a treat!

[@Masterplumber81]

Love this company and this CEO! I always look forward to your chats with Peter!

[@WiggyB]

Superb video Tim. It's really interesting to see another CEO using a similar "best part is no part" ethos to Elon but producing very different answers - specifically the no strong-back. SpaceX are busy building the most complicated launch mount and tower to remove complexity from the vehicle. Rocket Labs have deleted the tower to save infrastructure. Great to hear a different perspective. Speaking as a design engineer myself, I see this type of constraint driven compromise daily. When a customer comes to me with a requirement, I can usually produce 10 block diagrams for solutions within an hour. Each will bring pros and cons - time to develop, unit cost, complexity, reliability, physical size, weight, efficiency, thermal performance... The chosen solution is rarely the obvious one. Thanks so much for posting.

[@donjones4719]

Never say never, and eating hats etc. Agreed, I love seeing the same approach giving different results. It will be interesting, however, to see if/how RL's design flow changes. Yup, the current Neutron plans eliminate pad infrastructure and put it into the 1st stage, accepting the mass penalty and expecting an overall cost benefit. But we have to remember SpaceX planned for a long time to put refueling infrastructure into Super Heavy but switched to a philosophy of putting as much mass into "Stage 0" as possible. There are a lot of differences between the use cases for each rocket and their engineering so I'm not crazy enough to make predictions, but I won't be surprised if RL ends up with a light structure carrying propellant and umbilicals to the upper stage - a very minimal version of a strongback that doesn't have to lift anything. This won't add much to their pad infrastructure since the propellant and electrical lines have to run to the base of the rocket in either case.

[@osirisapex7483]

The difference is that SpaceX is ideological and so is more willing to brute force their way through complex infrastructure if it means they can have a wildly capable vehicle, whereas Rocketlab is willing to compromise on performance if it means vastly cheaper and simplified operations

[@HypaWave1701]

"Cost is everything " Rocket Lab can't just throw money at a problem so they have to design smarter and engine the problem out. This is why I hold Rocket Lab stocks.

[@alanrickett2537]

Ones trying to get to mars the other is building a LEO launch company.

[@HypaWave1701]

@@alanrickett2537 You do know Neutron will be capable of human missions and Rocket Lab has contracts with NASA to go to the Moon, Mars and Venus?

[@WilliamDye-willdye]

I love that the company CEO is willing to discuss technical details in a live interview. I think it will help them attract high-quality engineers.

[@davidlewiz4325]

I'm as pleased as Tim to understand what causes the darker regions on the engine bell. That was the best take away for me. Really great chat. Thank you soooo much Tim. You do these chats so well. 🙌

[@TheReykjavik]

Great interview. I think interviewing is one of your strongest formats, you do a great job of getting into a good amount of technical detail, not too in the weeds that nobody understands it, but deep enough past the surface to be interesting and informative. Please do them as much as you practically can.

[@nbarbettini]

Agreed, Tim really shines as an interviewer here.

[@borrico1965]

Thanks Tim for this video! Huge shoutout to Peter Beck for making time for this interview! I learned here how costly putting up a barge to land a returning rocket. That gives an idea how much SpaceX spends in launching the Falcon9. It would be cheaper the more frequent the launches will be.

[@GeoffBlackmore]

Tim, a big thank you for making and sharing these types of videos with people like Peter and Elon. It's a credit to you as a passionate rocket enthusiast that you can get so much time from these guys, allowing the rest of us to enjoy a good old fashioned down-to-Earth discussion on what is happening in the industry from such people. I live in New Zealand, but sadly, our own media pretty much ignore the Mahia launches and Rocket Lab in general. We get more information through people like yourself, and it's very much appreciated.

[@FrancescoSpace]

Woah! NSF Live + EDA interview with Peter in the same day! Lovin’ it. 🤩

[@lucasgarcia8797]

+ Scott Manley

[@DeltaV64]

I really do look up to Peter, he is so open with the fans and loves to share. I hope to see the Neutron flying and landing with my own eyes one day!

[@HypaWave1701]

TO THE MOON 📈🚀RKLB

[@jspendulum]

Peter Beck is awesome, love how down to earth he is for being a rocket man 🚀

[@angelaford2989]

"Propulsion is always the last thing to turn up at the launch site" Bruno can confirm

[@subwarpspeed]

Had a good laugh 😂

[@redroyal4287]

my immediate thought was the Raptor crisis, but then i imediately thought of the BE-4s and the irony put a smile on my face

[@Wordsmiths]

I've bookmarked this video at 39:54 & will send it to fellow space geeks with "Tory Bruno can confirm". Hat tip to you, Angela. ;-)

[@jamesmihalcik1310]

Fantastic interview! Tim askes the perfect questions that bring out the candid and enthusiastic responses of Peter. Really showcases the work and interesting solutions team Rocket Lab are bringing to fruition. Very excited to see a Rocket Lab team visit and wishing them a well-deserved prosperous future.

[@DanClark_ddc]

"If you can invert that spiral of doom, then it's all awesomeness." Fantastic interview!

[@gregorychaney7604]

That's a good quote. 👍

[@mike_d]

Funny how exactly the same principal ("adding lightness") applies to cars

[@astrofan8775]

The good old Lotus principle by Colin Chapman always works, "Simplify, and add lightness.". Turns out as long as performance is your primary or exclusive goal everything that moves does well following that formula. Sometimes Physics is just nice in it's simplicity.

[@Mosern1977]

Its very interesting the different approaches SpaceX and RocketLab has taken for the next generation rockets. To me, SpaceX is indeed way higher risk, and RocketLab I think have a winner here. I hope both of them succeed, and since they are so different, I'm sure they can co-exist for a long time.

[@Voyager2525]

@Orwell Nailed It I think Mosern is talking about Starship vs Neutron, not Falcon. And Starship is indeed a very ambitious, high risk design.

[@Matu1]

@@Voyager2525 But Neutron is not going to compete with Starship, if its going to compete then its going to compete with falcon 9.

[@kenshi_cv2407]

@@Voyager2525 What do you mean by 'Starship vs Neutron', though? They're by no means even comparable vehicles in terms of capability. I mean, what, Starship will be able to lift 19 times what Neutron can. I think the better comparison is actually Falcon vs Neutron here.

[@subwarpspeed]

Mosern wrote "next generation rocket" so to me it was clear it was about starship. Of course it's comparable in some ways. I.e. Elon motivating the troops with risk of total failure if the very ambitious Raptor (Full flow staged combustion cycle) compared to rocketlab going for a "easy" design. Once starship enters regular service it may have falcon 9 retiring. Not having to build an entire upper stage each time and get more use out of the ground infrastructure they will have. So starship and neutron might compete for the same payloads. For one it might be a heavy payload and for the other it will be like taking a full semi for picking up one car. But if you already have the semi you may as well use it.

[@curious1585]

@@kenshi_cv2407 doesn't matter if starship has 100 times the capability of a Neutron. If clients can get their satellite to orbit under similar constraints (schedule and special launch requirements) for a comparable cost starship and neutron can be in competition.

[@michaelwagner8856]

Tim, when you start to have a more that basic understanding of a subject you start to see a lot of subpar reporting on that subject, with you it is the opposite, it is so nice to see interviews like this done by someone so knowledgeable about the subject. Thank you and I hope your excellent reporting gets you many more interviews, I am looking forward to them.

[@will_benson]

Fantastic interview Tim, your practical knowledge of engineering is very impressive and a great example of how it can be self-taught.

[@DodgeCrazed]

Great job Tim and Pater, the human aspect that you and two bring to what is normally just a huge corporate show is definitely a breath of fresh air. Thank you both for considering the little guys and bringing it down to our level.

[@forrestofbarnes]

40:55 Rocket Lab was forced to build extremely light for Electron. That experience and ethos of building light makes Neutron incredibly simple and reliable compared to its competitors. Falcon 9 is a force to be reckoned with in the medium-lift segment, but it sounds like Neutron has every possible advantage, and it all starts with mass. I'm SUPER stoked for this rocket.

[@sjalexandernz]

I can see why Rocket Lab has been making such rapid progress. a CEO with this level of Engineering knowledge and design input blows away a lot of bureaucracy. Go kiwi! NB: Tim is a really great interviewer... Not only is it a in depth engineering discussion, but his ability to transition from a great intro and building a friendly rapport to getting into the nitty gritty that never gets dull for 50 minutes straight is really impressive (and really enjoyable to watch). I think Peter enjoyed it too.

[@joelove2084]

Thanks Tim for hitting another interview out of the park. You ask some great questions that really help us understand the overall landscape of rocketry so much more. As an investor in these technologies, it really helps me get a better feel for what this really is all about, apart from just being a fan of innovation. I can't thank you enough to be a great voice for the non-professional space enthusiast, I feel like I've gained information that I'd have never gained without you. I hope that all companies will continue the trend of being open and accepting your interviews and your helpful questions. It really feels like you've made a HUGE impact in reducing the secrecy that of rocketry that I honestly never imagined would be reduced. Thanks again, and I can't wait for more.

[@leejamison8436]

Tim, I grew up watching the early space program and was a geeky, rocket-hungry kid, but I have learned more detail about rocket engines from you than all the other reading and watching I did on the way to the moon. This discussion never for a moment insinuated that something might be too deep for your audience. Indeed, you challenge the audience to keep up. This was a tutorial on how engineers think about the really hard problems, and how different sets of compromises can solve the same problems for different customers. Thanks. You are the Jules Bergman of the 21st Century.

[@brandonb3920]

This was such a good interview Tim! The questions were everything I was looking to know about Neutron, like bro how do you nail it so well?😂

[@muleskinnerfilms6719]

Well done Tim. Love Peter Beck and his team. As a viewer and fan of all things space, you managed to take the NASA space flight interview to a more detailed level. Love your history of engine design. Well done again!

[@oneshotstudio]

Tim, I cannot believe that this content is free, your quality and editing has really improved over the years, it’s so professional!! Have a merry Christmas man, we are super thankful for all of your effort. - A huge fan

[@skaida]

Ēd sūdus

[@thatguy7595]

It always bugs me when people say that. The content is not free. He is getting paid. You just don't see the cost. You're paying through the Google ad platform. The rest is spot on though.

[@oneshotstudio]

@@thatguy7595 ah good point. Maybe it’s the ease of access then

[@mikeday5776]

Peter’s such a great ambassador for the whole industry. Far better to give time and access than “buy” publicity without leaving anything up in space. Bravo and happy new year 🥳

[@GordoM]

That was fantastic in so many ways. I want to start seeing the equations and plots in the videos! So, awesome that you and Peter are able to assume your audience is on the level with you, or at least close enough, you don't have to dumb down the vocabulary.

[@jasoncramer6717]

Man this is why I love your channel. Same goes for your videos but it's especially obvious in your interviews that you have a knack for getting an intelligent, extremely informative dialogue going, without the pretention or gatekeeping attitudes I see sometimes in the space community.

[@thejesuschrist]

Saint Peter Beck! 🙏🏼🚀

[@picksalot1]

Thanks Tim and Peter for sharing your time, expertise, and helping me stay informed and educated about what you're doing at Rocket Lab. Fascinating and exciting news. Have a happy holiday season and best of luck for the new year!

[@arleneallen8809]

On the economics of being a launch provider it would be interesting in a future interview if you could get him to break down the percentages for the so-called TCO of launches. Site costs( a kind of G&A), component and services costs, fuel costs, refurb costs, CRM costs, corp overhead (the real G&A), licensing/taxation. There is no doubt they have a spread sheet with these calculations. Just a matter of would he share it. At this point, Rocket Lab and SpaceX are the only rocket entrepreneurs I take seriously enough as to be worthy of investment.

[@pcwizardstech]

Just now watching this and wow, he's got some great ideas and it was great that Rocket Lab gave you that much time to interview Mr. Beck. Fan from Cincinnati.

[@aldunlop4622]

You gotta love the laid back attitude of us antipodeans (Kiwis & Aussies). “De-scunge” the engines, haha, love ya Pete!

[@HypaWave1701]

🇳🇿🇭🇲🤜🤛

[@BrightBlueJim]

I definitely laughed at "de-scrunge'. This guy is an engineer's engineer. You put a guy like this at the head of a company, you get good results.

[@martinhogan4274]

Thank you Tim and Peter - a thoroughly fascinating conversation - even though most of it went over my head.

[@ingramdw1]

Great to see innovation in rocket design - the Neutron has some really cool features we haven't seen made real before. Peter Beck is like a kiwi Elon without tweets about his dumps. Awesome.

[@brucebennett4274]

What an awesome time to be alive! And thanks to you both for feeding my passions...

[@vos303]

Interesting that Space-X' "stage-0" strategy is like putting as much as possible into stage 0 to remove complexity from the vehicle, while Rocket lab's does the exact opposite by having as little ground equipment as possible to save costs

[@subwarpspeed]

They both do away with the strong back to raise the vehicle. But I think rocket lab will have some more than just what was shown. Integrating second stage I don't think they will do with a simple crane. Though I don't think it will be as much as the thing ULA have for their rockets. Also for secret payloads it seems like the customer (NRO) wouldn't be satisfied with just a tarp over the payload while integrating. But a plus is that they don't need expensive stuff close to the vehicle while launching in case it goes up in a fireball such as spacex will have.

[@thamiordragonheart8682]

I think part of it is a scale thing, ground infrastructure costs don't scale as quickly with size as vehicle costs do, so more ground infrastructure makes more sense for a large rocket, and infrastructure makes more sense the higher your launch cadence, per day for spacex vs per week for rocket labs. Hence mechazilla and the chopsticks, those only make sense because of the rediculous launch cadence spacex is targeting, and requires to use orbital refueling. The other part, which Peter mentions in the interview, is that having the ultra-light carbon-composite structure lets them make a lot of cost-saving compromises elsewhere without killing the mass to orbit. Whereas SpaceX is recovering the upper stage, so they have almost no mass margin to play with, and because starship is supposed to make a lot of use of orbital refueling, every kilogram matters for starship in a way it just doesn't for a normal launch vehicle. I think spacex originally had a lot of stuff built in (including the upper stage umbilical inside the booster) and has been slowly outsourcing things like ubilicals and even engine startup systems to the luanch mount because they just don't have mass to spare.

[@TechyBen]

Both options can make sense. Elon knows he can get some agreement if hiring other people/systems. But that gets a lot of conflict in trying to manage all the separate suppliers/support industries. Where as electron are going for an all in one, but of cause puts all the work and support into one basket.

[@llamatronian101]

With how little the empty rocket weighs I assume they need something to hold it down against wind. It seems they don't need a strong back for that though. Maybe just something that reaches up and grabs the base in between the engines.

[@simongeard4824]

@@llamatronian101 A strongback is generally only used for horizontal integration, since you need something to support the rocket while you're transporting it and lifting it into upright position. So if the rocket is vertically-integrated and never transported on its side (like both Starship and Neutron), you might have _some_ support structure, but it wouldn't be called that.

[@kiwishamoo6494]

Fun space fact: My dad grew up in the same (very) small valley in the Marlborough Sounds in New Zealand that was home to both Lord Ernest Rutherford (whom the Rutherford Engine is named after) AND William Pickering (Director of JPL for 22 years). It never ceases to amaze me that such a remote spot in a remote country could produce such giants :-)

[@williamchamberlain2263]

Is it radium, or is it pixies?

[@colingibbons6404]

It’s so amazing to get to see so much passion for a space bound future, I hope that I’m my lifetime everyone can have the opportunity to be touched by Spaceflight in their own special way

[@darrengladstone3159]

You have a great mix of casual and technical that really gets a lot of information from these rocket entrepreneurs. Keep the questions fresh like you do. It's obvious these guys are grateful someone is finally asking researched and meaningful questions.

[@RogerGarrett]

Their main engineering principle seems to be "The best part is no part", just like SpaceX, but their results are so amazingly different. So cool!

[@craigbleakley7541]

So good Tim to see a fallow kiwi doing so well and being open and friendly about it. I cant wait to see how far he can go. God speed Peter. 🤞🤙

[@Databyter]

The beauty of the retained fairing idea is that when they are articulated it will likely be in close to zero gravity conditions, so the hinges and the power that moves the parts does not need to be extraordinarily heavy or powerful, it just needs to be enough to open and close, and in the closed position the locks and seals are really the important part. This is me thinking outloud as a hobbiest, not as an expert of this idea. But it just appeals to the engineer in me because it is such a novel idea, and really it can be much more lightweight than people would ever guess because it can be helped to open and close on the ground when loading, and when in orbit or space the energy required is much lower to open and close. Fantastic. Databyter

[@drosendahl]

The gravity is nothing that matter that much. You heard Tim ask about it in the interview, its mostly the dynamic pressure (coming from the high speed and how much atmosphere is present at the place for separation) that dictates where they can separate and how strong the construction needs to be.

[@MizaT11]

I'm not entirely sure this is true. The fairings still have mass, even if in space at that point, thus a certain amount of power is still required to articulate them. Being in zero-g wouldn't make that much of a difference I would think.

[@Databyter]

@@drosendahl Dynamic pressure COMES from force against gravity (weight). And the canopy is designed to be deployed when the dynamic pressures and atmospheric pressures are at a minimum. And for purposes of payload, when at virtually zero. Databyter

[@stephenwitwick3926]

But if they were strong, they could possibly be used as airbrakes

[@ksmi9109]

Well, I’d be inclined to agree with you but the fairings still have to be opened and closed once returned to the ground for second stage/payload loading. I suppose this could be done with the help of ground equipment, so I’ll give you that, but it is a consideration.

[@GreatistheWorld]

What a time to be alive. That we can chill out for an hour listening to a super technical, super accessible talk like this

[@handle_unknown]

Love hearing Peter speak of what he knows and loves!

[@0neBadMonkey]

Finally got to the end of this (4 sittings) Great interview. Thanks.

[@novicegreenenergy2059]

I get the idea this Peter guy knows a thing or two about rockets. Great interview!

[@juanixinauj]

It's always great having you two in a convo about aerospace! For instance, I don't love the looks of Neutron, but, despite that, I really love it much more now that I heard from Peter all those details about design constraints and chosen solutions to meet the requirements! And man, I had never imagined marine operations were that much more expensive!!! Thanks once again for such great quality content Tim and crew!!

[@Gregorius421]

Two interviews with Peter Beck at NSF and Everyday Astronaut on the same day? We are spoiled. Thank you for all!

[@jhirse3547]

So our baby was born yesterday. I can't be at the hospital except for 3 hours a day. But Tim has me covered with TONS of interesting content to make the remaining time pass. Thank you very much!

[@nazreenhelmi6952]

in my mind, Electron is like a taxi sending you to the specific place whereas rideshares are like buses where you still need to walk to somewhere you need to be. They might be cheaper but is it worth the extra walk?

[@saumyacow4435]

Yep, what he didn't quite say is that rideshares often involve using limited fuel on the satellite itself, which tends to shorten its useful life.

[@subwarpspeed]

And you might miss the bus. The taxi will wait for you (might take some other customers in between though). And you avoid any other passenger on the bus that might stink.

[@KC-rd3gw]

Thanks Peter for taking the time to give us this wealth of information, and thanks Tim for making amazing content! Where else can you find high quality space journalism that takes such a deep dive into rocketry? I can't imagine any network in the MSM taking an hour to interview a rocket CEO to this level of detail or do a 3 hour special with Elon Musk talking about all the crazy details of SpaceX's new rockets.

[@MrTrueshoe]

What an amazing interview! Great questions and amazing answers! Keep up the great content Tim , you have gotten so amazing at what you do!

[@detrix42]

Thank you Tim, that was a great interview. Thank you Peter for your time and great answers. Neutron sounds like it's going to be a great rocket.

[@AdjustinThings]

20:58 I think what some people forget is that this is only a suborbital entry speed. You don't need ceramic heat shielding. Starship has those reentry tiles because its returning FROM ORBIT. The tests they've done with starship were only to an altitude of 10km. Electron stage separation happens around 70km alt (i think). But I think neutron seperation will need to occur at 100km.

[@user-zb8tq5pr4x]

It's basically the difference between first stage and second stage Starship is supposed to be second stage

[@ryanmcnair3451]

Excellent interview Tim. I think Peter Beck is another true visionary. Very solid real logic and best practices going into their design and builds. Rocket Labs is destined to the stars.

[@James-vy5ng]

I love this doesn't feel like you're on a Zoom call. Your videos are always such great quality.

Great video, it's always so great to see discussions with Peter Beck, he's so knowledgeable about rocket engineering stuff. Keep up the good work Tim

[@danielhoven570]

I love how much more advanced the materials science is at rocketLab. All those New-Zealander sailboat builders. Worked for Koenigsegg too.

[@E9X330]

Wait rocketlab worked with Koenigsegg ?

[@phoenix0166]

@@E9X330 dunno

[@danielhoven570]

@@E9X330 no, I meant leveraging the technical skill of New Zealanders for fabricating composites was a strategy that worked for Koenigsegg

[@E9X330]

@@danielhoven570 Koenigsegg gets their carbon fiber from new Zealand ?

[@danielhoven570]

@@E9X330 Sweden is another hub for composite shipwrights. There is no connection between Koenigsegg and New Zealand

[@77gravity]

Tim, I am always impressed by the quality of your questions. As always, Thank You.

[@dannybell926]

Peter Beck, I love this dude! He's a freaking genius

[@alcosound]

Appreciated much listening to Peter Beck, it's obvious that he's gained much real world experience, and tries to focus on the real costs and opportunities

[@HylanderSB]

One thing you can count on from Peter is that he'll tell you the engineering trades that led to his decisions This leads me to believe that trade studies figure prominently in their design process, perhaps mores o than the average engineering organization.

[@mobiuscoreindustries]

Its the great and bad thing about aerospace engineering. Almost all your constraints are dictated by physics. The great thing about it is that its easy to discern your constraints, to map and calculate them with a high degree of confidence. The downside is that you can't bribe your way through problems on anything. The laws dictate what you can do and there is no bypassing that. But its also one of the cleanest canvas for innovation and competition. Once you extract yourself from the politics, economics and greed of the world bellow its just you, your ship and the laws of space. And space is a hard mistress, but humans can figure out how to dance with her. And every time we did, the things we came up with have always lead to drastic improvements to technology and life for all of us down there.

[@yuri_kerman1906]

I'm so happy that we have people like Peter Beck in New Zealand! 🇳🇿

[@nathanbain3348]

Peter is a class act. Can't wait to see Neutron

[@davidboyle1902]

What a great interview. A lot of head-slappers, where when you hear the solution applied to a problem, it's like, of course! Neutron is going to be a game changer to a degree similar to Falcon 9. I do wonder if we'd be seeing such a novel rocket design if Musk had not already demonstrated reusability. Gained much respect for Mr Beck.

[@scottwatrous]

When I heard Peter say "It's GG" I was like "yeah, good game"

[@ragaloft]

No disrespect to the NSF team, but wow Tim, that was so much better!🤓 Every single question was exactly what I was wondering. That was down to earth for this everyday person. Thanks👍

[@SoCalMike2]

I agree with you. There is definitely higher level of knowledge from Tim so his questions are that much better. Honestly, if you give me the choice between the two (EA or NSF), I will watch EA 100% of the time.

[@vonpredator]

Let’s not forget, NSF was getting questions from CHAT, and it was LIVE where as Tim’s was edited very well! I enjoyed both!

[@ragaloft]

@@vonpredator Agreed. NSF is an awesome channel, and I thoroughly enjoy their style and open source questions as well.

[@davidwhiteford4936]

Great, another excellent interview, Tim. Mr. Beck is extremely candid; confirming many of my suspicions regarding cost and design decisions, such as the expense of using ships to retain fairings. Of course, costs are always based on location and who you know! As with Elon Musk, Mr. Beck's candidness is a reflection of confidence and successful establishment of one's company in the marketplace. Still, sharing insider knowledge with the world is a refreshing change from the dinosaur corporate mentality of the past. Fascinating discussion!

[@jamesengland7461]

Many thanks to Peter Beck for generously offering his time for this!

[@Papershields001]

Peter once again proving why he’s my favorite space captain!

[@dazuk1969]

"if we had to develop a full flow methalox engine i would be worried". I think that sums up what an incredible job spacex have done with their raptor engine. Really interesting chat with Beck and i wish rocket lab every success with the Neutron.

[@foxtrotunit1269]

I love your videos Tim, this is awesome. Easy, simple breakdown, great explanation of complex questions so regular people can understand :) Wish I could like twice lol

[@BrightBlueJim]

Holy cow, Tim, you did good. I ask myself, how does he get the big brains in the new space generation to give him this much time? But the answer is clear: because you do your homework, and they know that you're going to get the word out about their projects. And at the end of the day for an engineer, it's about completing the project and watching it fly. So for a mid-range vehicle like this, it's people like YOU that will get people watching their launches. And one more thing: you ask the questions that they have really fought with. It's great to see Peter Beck describing how he reaches the decision for carbon fiber, where Elon Musk lands on stainless steel, but what it comes down to is, they are solving much different problems. Great work.

[@eulachonfish]

At first I wondered how you would fill a 50 minute interview, but this was interesting end to end. Peter is a much better interviewee than Elon IMO as he's willing to share that business case information that is key to making money launching rockets, rather than just hype about the technology. Thanks for putting this on and sharing it with all of us rocket nerds.

[@BrightBlueJim]

Oh, I would say that Musk and Beck are neck-and-neck when it comes to interesting. Musk has made no secret of his business models, either. What's really interesting is then when solving for what appear to be only slightly different objectives, they come up with drastically different solutions. What makes Tim Dodd's interviews watch-to-the-last-moment, is the way he gets these passionate geniuses to show their excitement in the decisions they've made. On one side we have free-standing rockets, and on the other we have booster-catching chopsticks! Great time to be alive.

[@mdjey2]

Well thats because he is actually smart. Elon is great on gathering investment, but he makes mostly debt. I'm not sure for how long that can continue. It is such a bubble. He is already on trial for SolarCity bailout.

[@user-zb8tq5pr4x]

@@BrightBlueJim The difference is musk is not smart and mostly has no clue about what he's talking about

[@liquidsnakex]

@@mdjey2 so how many one-of-a-kind self-landing orbital boosters have you invented? Oh right, none lol

[@mdjey2]

@@liquidsnakex That happens to be the same amount of things that Elon Musk has invented - zero.

[@AlcidesBan]

Tim I'm so glad you did a text version! Great! Sometimes I can't watch the video or just I like to remember a fact It's important to have a text version. Thanks again.

[@KomradZX1989]

Hey Tim, did you ever hear wether or not that Japanese billionaire guy is gonna take you to the moon on Starship? That would be so cool! You’re the best dude! I watch everything you make!

[@samirdevechi8589]

I think Tim has a place on the flight but obviously none of the candidates are allowed to talk about it until the official reveal

[@David-yo5ws]

Yusaku Maezawa just landed on the Soyuz MS-20 today! I thinks that's the man you are referring to. He just returned after 12 days at the ISS with his production videographer Yozo Hirano. The only 'real Cosmonaut' was the commander Alexander Misurkin, who has now completed his 3rd trip to the ISS. He has spent a total of 346 days at the ISS. So I guess Yusaku is getting plenty of training in for the Dear Moon mission.

[@KomradZX1989]

@@samirdevechi8589 woah really? You think he has it already? God I hope so!!!

[@SuperKingslaw]

Brilliant interview Tim. Your interviews with Space industry leaders are the best in the biz. Thank you!

[@stevej7139]

Love hearing from Peter Beck , he's like Elon in that he actually understands the engineering . I invested in them recently , even though it's down a bit right now I'm pretty sure it will come around . I didn't see any mention of their flight profiles they are planning to use with Neutron , I thought I read that they don't turn downrange as fast as others and use their second stage for most of the orbital speed which keeps the first stage closer to home at separation , is any of that true ?

[@David-yo5ws]

I compared the SpaceX Falcon9 and Electron Rocket MaxQ speeds and heights and then MECO and then Separation and Second engine start up. Since they are both using the 'Rocket Equation' to get to LOE, they follow the same trajectory and so their times are very similar and their speeds are very similar. I guess it then depends at what height the satellite or cargo resupply are going to, that determines the length of burn of the second stage. And also what the use of the satellite is for that determines the speed and inclination. I don't know anything about orbital mechanics. It seems turning down range could not be altered, if they are following the same orbital trajectory profiles? So, I can't give you a definite answer.

[@stevej7139]

@@David-yo5ws I was referring to the Neutron's proposed flight profile .

[@David-yo5ws]

@@stevej7139 In the NASAsf interview with Peter Beck, he said they had to limit their over performance down range, because they have to land the First Stage back at the Launch Site.

[@snuffeldjuret]

1 minute in, big props to Peter for having great quality of video/sound.

[@ChrisBrengel]

Tim Dodd does 1st rate interviews-- Keep them coming!

[@danj8404]

Great interview Tim. Thank you to Peter Beck for sharing.

[@davidg8497]

Peter Beck is so fantastic sitting there in a T-Shirt talking to Tim and so to all of us. I think no one could imagine a guy like Dave Calhoun Boeing CEO would to that, I believe those guys couldn’t even do it. Great Interview thanks Tim!

[@JohnnyWednesday]

Round of applause for the concept of using tension support of the second stage to enable a far lighter structure - that's the big win here and should be exploited to its maximum potential!

[@miroslavmilan]

It’s funny that expending a rocket is still considered a “proper send-off”, for historical reasons, I guess. Imagine doing that with an airliner at the end of its service life, just fly over Pacific with tanks almost empty, leave it on autopilot and bail out 😄

[@the_retag]

It delivers more performance...

[@simonm1447]

@@the_retag that's right, this is the reason why the F9 is made in the size it is - despite the reusability of the booster it still can put enough mass into the orbit to cover the demand for satellites in the mainstream size. If you need more in rare cases you can just take an old booster and use it in dependable mode.

[@mpendulojwara]

The CEO of Rocket Lab is in a very cool setting and mood when talking with The Everyday Astronaut 👀👏😂 Learning a lot from this 👍

[@johnmorris1162]

I would be interested to know if Peter is considering launching from other space ports, building and initial launch from Wallops and just having launch/maintenance facilities at locations like the Cape for instance.

[@RyanMcCarvill]

He's doing the interview circuit, if you look around at other spaceflight youtube channels you'll see more information. But, basically, because Nuetron is so wide they've put out tenders for a new launch facility with onsite factory somewhere in the US. They'll build the rockets at the same place that they launch then and Rocketlabs current facilities in New Zealand and the US won't be used for Neutron.

[@awuma]

People like Tim, Scott, NSF and some others are doing fantastically good journalism, while Chief Designers such as Peter and Elon are extraordinarily open when interviewed by really knowledgeable people.