Why Rocket Lab boss Sir Peter Beck loses sleep before every mission – and expects to again this week

The build-up and day of Rocket Lab lift-off missions are nervous periods for Sir Peter Beck. Photo / Supplied

“I hate launch day,” he said.

“People are trusting you with sometimes their entire businesses – on the tip of the vehicle.”

Beck takes nothing for granted. “Even though we’ve done 73 [with Electron], I’m still very nervous, don’t sleep well the night before. And on launch day… I have never missed a launch… [I am] still very, very nervous.”

Ahead of this week’s scheduled Rocket Lab launch at Mahia, Sir Peter Beck has revealed his battle with nerves. Photo / Supplied.

After ‘The Nation God Navigates’, six more missions for iQPS are scheduled so far for the rest of the year and 2026.

That’s because iQPS wants to build a constellation of 36 SAR satellites that will provide near real-time images of Earth every 10 minutes.

Beck said his nerves have nothing to do with Electron’s reliability. Rocket Lab is regarded as a reliable option in the private space industry, with a 100% success rate in its 15 missions to date this year.

Rocket Lab has built up a reputation as one of the most reliable private space companies. Photo / From the book The Launch of Rocket Lab

But in Beck’s line of business, perfection is everything. Just one problem with even the tiniest component can lead to huge consequences.

Rocket Lab has suffered four Electron launch failures in its history.

In July 2020, a rocket failed to reach orbit and the problem was traced to a single anomalous electrical connection.

This stunning image tracks the trajectory of a Rocket Lab rocket at nighttime. Photo / From the book The Launch of Rocket Lab

It led to an engine shutdown, a full review, and a statement from Rocket Lab: “The issue evaded pre-flight detection as the electrical connection remained secure during standard environment acceptance testing including vibration, thermal vacuum and thermal cycle tests”.

From Rocket Lab’s American base at Long Beach, Beck told the Herald “The consequences are always high, and a successful launch might garner a few tweets here and there.

The majority of Rocket Lab’s missions to date have launched from the company’s pad at Mahia in Hawke’s Bay. Photo / From the book The Launch of Rocket Lab

“A failed launch is international news, and you [are] spread across CNN and NBC and all the news stations around the world.”

The remainder of 2025 promises to be a busy time for Beck and the crew at Rocket Lab.

As well as several other Electron missions scheduled, two Rocket Lab-constructed spacecraft are scheduled to be sent into Mars’ atmosphere.

Rocket Lab founder and chief executive Sir Peter Beck has opened up about the sleepless nights and nerves he endures ahead of launch day. New Zealand Herald composite photo / Supplied images

The duo of probes are key components in a Nasa mission set to cost US$80 million ($138m), part of the American space agency’s Small Innovative Missions for Planetary Exploration (SIMPLEx) programme.

The craft will travel on a rocket constructed by Blue Origin – the private space company owned by one of the world’s richest men, Jeff Bezos – and be launched from Nasa’s Kennedy Space Centre.

New book The Launch of Rocket Lab by Peter Griffin and Peter Beck is out now. Image / Supplied

Beck’s team designed and built the two spacecraft over a three-and-a-half-year period.

Beck says when they reach Mars’ orbit, it will mean 20% of all craft orbiting around Mars “will have a Rocket Lab logo on it… which is pretty cool”.

Neil Reid is a Napier-based senior reporter who covers general news, features and sport. He joined the Herald in 2014 and has 33 years of newsroom experience.

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