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Rocket Lab aims for the stars and nabs lucrative Nasa contract in Moon mission

Wednesday, 4 March 2020

New Zealanders are leading the charge with Rocket Lab, as Nasa prepares to return to the Moon.

New Zealand is playing a key role in helping send people back to the Moon.

Rocket Lab has nabbed a lucrative contract with Nasa that will see a satellite sent into lunar orbit in 2021.

The $15.5 million rocket is being constructed in Mount Wellington in Auckland.

Speaking to Seven Sharp, Rocket Lab founder Peter Beck said the move was part of a greater mission Nasa was working on to send men and women to the Moon, in preparation to go to Mars.

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Rocket Lab has nabbed a lucrative NASA contract to send a satellite into lunar orbit in 2021.
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Nasa has an ambitious plan to send humans back to the Moon by 2024, and the space agency has vowed that at least one of them will be a woman.