A rocket rode down State Road 405 Monday toward Kennedy Space Center.

  • Vector brought its Vector-R rocket replica to Kennedy Space Center
  • Startup hopes to use smaller rocket to launch hundreds of satellites a year
  • Vector launches cost $1 million, compared to $50 million+ for bigger rockets
  • PREVIOUS STORY: Vector to build, launch rockets on Space Coast

The new kind of rocket was created by Vector, a small startup with the goal of launching hundreds of small satellites every year. 

The rocket is smaller than the ones that go up now, and Vector founder and CEO Jim Cantrell says because of that, he believes his rockets will be able to lift off hundreds of times a year, maybe even twice a day, from its mobile launcher.

"They can go when they want, where they want. That's a key feature, it's like being able to get in the car and go to the store when you want," Cantrell said.

Payloads right now can weigh between 10 and 120 pounds, satellites the size of a printer or loaf of bread.

Vector's launches cost approximately $1 million, compared to current private ones in the $50 million to $60 million range.

"It puts it in the range of a lot more organizations," said Cantrell.

For now, this rocket will be on display at the NASA Now attaction at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.

They hope to begin launching in 2018.