2009 / Dec 2009
Rocket Lab / captured 23 July 2011 from http://www.rocketlab.co.nz/rocket-lab-news.html
December 11th 2009 – The second stage payload section of the Atea-1 launch has not been located via the satellite communication-based recovery system. The first stage was recovered by a commercial fishing boat approximately 17 kilometres from the launch site 18 hours after lift-off. Initial findings suggest that the booster was providing the expected thrust levels at launch and showing good, stable combustion for the full burn-time. The recovered booster also shows clean separation of the second stage. Calculations from the raw data obtained confirm that the vehicle was on course for a nominal trajectory to over 100 kilometres altitude.
The quote is the release as captured. Not a rklb.report rewrite. Not affiliated with Rocket Lab.