Helicopter catches – and then drops – falling Electron rocket

A helicopter hovers above as it attempts to capture Electron’s first stage in mid-air by helicopter above New Zealand on Tuesday May 3 2022 (Rocket Lab/AP)

A helicopter caught a falling rocket – before its crew was forced to let it go again for safety reasons.

Rocket Lab partially pulled off the feat as it pushes to make its small Electron rockets reusable.