Rocket Lab, a Silicon Valley-funded space launch company, on Thursday launched the maiden flight of its battery-powered, 3-D-printed rocket from New Zealand's remote Mahia Peninsula.
"Made it to space. Team delighted," Rocket Lab said on its official Twitter account.
The successful launch of a low cost, 3-D-printed rocket is an important step in the commercial race to bring down financial and logistical barriers to space while also making New Zealand an unlikely space hub.