Stay tuned: Rocket Lab gears up for next launch which will be livestreamed

Rocket Lab's second test vehicle on the launch pad on the Mahia Peninsula. Photo / Supplied

Rocket Lab plans to launch its second test vehicle within a 10-day window from next Friday.

The launch of the Electron rocket titled ''Still Testing'', will take place from Rocket Lab's Launch Complex 1 on the Mahia Peninsula and be livestreamed to the public.

It will open the test window from December 8 and during this time the rocket could launch during a four-hour period from 2.30pm.

It will follow the successful inaugural Electron test on May 25 when the rocket made it to space but not to orbit when a communication problem forced controllers to terminate the flight.

The company, which has its corporate headquarters in the United States and manufacturing and operations in this country, warns that the launch could be scrubbed at any time.

The test launch attempt would only proceed if conditions are ideal.

''Due to the nature of launching rockets, planned lift-offs are often subject to multiple and subsequent postponements, or scrubs, to allow for small, technical modifications and to wait for ideal weather conditions,'' the company says.

''Still Testing'' will be the first Rocket Lab launch to be livestreamed to the public.

A live video stream will be available approximately 15 minutes before a launch attempt.

Founder and chief executive of Rocket Lab, Peter Beck, said the test would allow his company to gather more data for future commercial launches.

"Electron's first test made history when it became the first orbital-class launch vehicle to reach space from a private launch facility. We analysed more than 25,000 channels of data from flight one, and we're eager to learn more from this test flight. This is the first test carrying customer payloads and we'll be monitoring everything closely as we attempt to reach orbit," he said.

"Once again, we're expecting to scrub multiple times as we wait for perfect conditions and make sure everything on the vehicle is performing as it should."

As part of the launch attempt, Mahia East Coast Road will be closed to the public at certain times.

''Still Testing'' is the second of three test launches planned from Launch Complex 1 ahead of commercial operations, however if the vehicle performs nominally throughout the second test the commercial phase could be accelerated.

Still Testing will carry an Earth-imaging Dove satellite for Planet and two Lemur-2 satellites for Spire for weather and ship tracking, enabling Rocket Lab to gather crucial data and test systems for the deployment stage of a mission.

Rocket Lab aims to launch small satellites into orbit at a far greater frequency and lower cost than its competitors.