Rocket Lab's Humanity Star is no more

Rocket Lab’s Humanity Star was in orbit for only two months before burning up on re-entry last week. Picture supplied

If you have not yet seen Rocket Lab’s Humanity Star, you have missed it.

It came out of orbit at 2.15am on Friday. It burned up completely on re-entry, leaving no trace said Rocket Lab’s communications manager Morgan Bailey.

It re-entered Earth’s atmosphere earlier than anticipated.

Launched on January 21 from the Mahia launch pad, the Humanity Star was designed to have a brief orbital life span.

The 8kg carbon fibre geodesic sphere with 65 reflective panels, which resembled a disco ball, was shot into orbit on board Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket.

It was expected the Humanity Star would be one of the brightest objects in the night sky for up to nine months.

Early descentIt was reported last week that the Humanity Star’s amount of drag, due to its small size, would be the reason for its early descent.

“Things often perform differently in a space environment, which is what we discovered with the Humanity Star,” said Rocket Lab chief executive Peter Beck.

In January, Mr Beck said on www.thehumanitystar.com that it was “born of the desire to encourage people to consider their place in the universe and reflect on what’s important in their own lives and the lives of humanity as a species”.

Some astronomers, however, described the Humanity Star as a shiny piece of space junk in an already crowded place.

The Wairoa Star reported that Ms Bailey said the Humanity Star was a project Mr Beck had in mind for many years.

“The objective was to put something into space that humanity could get excited about.

“Rocket Lab was careful about the design of the Humanity Star. There is enough space junk up there and Rocket Lab did not want to add to that.

Mr Beck said his hope was to encourage people to look up, to ponder their place in the universe.

“Thousands of people told us they went outside with friends and loved ones to experience it together and that’s hugely encouraging to me.

“While the Humanity Star was a brief moment in human history, I hope the conversations and ideas it sparked around the world will continue to be explored.

“These are the conversations that will play a part in shaping how we collectively manage our planet and work together to solve the challenges facing us all.”

January’s historic launch and the Mahia launch facility will continue to put their stamp on space, after NZ Post revealed a selection of recently-released NZ Post “New Zealand in Space” stamps are set to be launched into orbit. A spokeswoman for NZ Post said NZ Post’s Dene Green and Brian Chandler recently visited Rocket Lab with a framed collection of the New Zealand in Space stamps. “Rocket Lab’s Peter Beck liked them so much he has had them attached to the orbital stage of the next rocket launch and is hanging the framed collection in the boardroom.” NZ Post’s New Zealand in Space stamp issue celebrates Electron’s launch into orbit from Mahia Peninsula.