Rocket Lab's second test launch delayed due to weather conditions

Rocket Lab's Electron rocket 'Still Testing' on the pad at Launch Complex 1 on Mahia Peninsula. Photo/Supplied

Rocket Lab's second test launch will not be going ahead this week.

It planned to launch its second test vehicle this afternoon, depending on the weather, but a spokeswoman said the launch was not happening today or tomorrow.

The earliest the launch would go ahead would be Monday, but they would not be able to confirm that until late Sunday.

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

The rocket made it to space in Rocket Lab's successful inaugural Electron test on May 25, 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, warned ahead of today's scheduled launch attempt that it would only proceed if conditions were 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 said.

Founder and chief executive of Rocket Lab, Peter Beck, said the test will 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.

''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.