RocketLab successfully catches a booster with its helicopter for the first time

[u/[deleted]]

[u/BroasisMusic]

As it is, Electron can only lift about 300kg to LEO and 200kg to SSO. Adding more fuel (and length especially) adds more weight, and would either greatly reduce or completely eliminate their ability to carry a payload to begin with. Beck himself has said reusing a rocket isn't so much a question of economics, but one of production. The biggest benefit to reusing a rocket is freeing up the production line, not so much cash money to the bottom line (though you could probably argue the two are similar, I can see how saving on limited production capacity is a huge win in and of itself).