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Viral video: Rocket Lab catches falling rocket stage mid-air with Sikorsky S-92 helicopter

Private aerospace firms are actively developing reusable rocket stages to lower launch costs and allow more space flights per year.

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Rocket Lab, a private American aerospace firm, recently uploaded video of a helicopter collecting the falling first stage of their Electron rocket on May 2 during a mission named "There And Back Again" that transported 34 satellites into orbit.

Rocket Lab shared a video of the historic grab on Twitter. The S-92 helicopter captures footage of the parachute line that was attached by a hook to the booster as it approaches it for the purpose of capturing it in mid-air.

Also, READ: Viral video: Children fall to ground as Indonesia water park slide breaks in half

"Now these are views we could get used to," Rocket Lab tweeted using #ThereAndBackAgain.

Peter Beck, Founder and CEO of Rocket Lab tweeted, “Incredible catch by the recovery team, can’t begin to explain how hard that catch was and that the pilots got it. They did release it after hook up as they were not happy with the way it was flying, but no big deal, the rocket splashed down safely and the ship is loading it now.”

Rocket Lab is experimenting with helicopter recovery as part of a bigger attempt to launch more rockets into orbit at a lower cost.

Private aerospace firms are actively developing reusable rocket stages to lower launch costs and allow more space flights per year. For example, SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket features a reusable first stage, but unlike Rocket Lab's helicopter recovery procedure, the Falcon 9 rocket utilises its engines to make a gentle landing on land or "droneship" platforms at sea.

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