Retriever 3 blasts off from Cape Kerman, on top of a Jool Rocket!

Once in orbit, the newly re-designed second stage maneuvers to rendezvous with the asteroid IIF-441, which previous Retriever Missions have worked to bring closer and closer!

The “Rhino” Second Stage orbital/Rendezvous engine fires!

Until it finally connects with the asteroid!

Retriever 2 and the orbital stage are ejected… but the connection is tenuous at best! The asteroid keeps ‘wobbling’ around!

“I think we’re gonna need a new design for ‘Retriever!'”

-Gene