Rocket Lab sets launch date for second dedicated Kinéis mission to deploy IoT constellation

Rocket Lab USA, a global leader in launch services and space systems, announced it has set the launch window for its 53rd Electron Launch. The mission will be the second of five dedicated launches for the French company Kinéis.

The ‘Kinéis Killed the RadIOT Star’ mission is scheduled to launch from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand during a 14-day launch window that opens on September 17, 2024, NZST.

This mission will launch just three months after the ‘No Time Toulouse’ mission, Kinéis’ first launch with Rocket Lab. ‘Kinéis Killed the RadIOT Star’ will be the second of five dedicated Electron launches for Kinéis, a company backed by private and public investors including the French government’s space agency CNES (Centre National d'Études Spatiales) and CLS (Collecte Localisation Satellites), an international space-based solutions provider, to improve global Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity.

Kinéis’ constellation will connect any object anywhere in the world and guarantee the transmission of targeted and useful data to users, in near-real time, with low energy consumption with more powerful 30kg-class nanosats that integrate IoT technology. The constellation also includes a second mission: a ship-tracking Automatic Identification System (AIS). Once deployed, these technologies will allow Kinéis to expand across multiple industries and scale from 20,000 devices connected to millions. The second constellation launch will add an additional five new satellites to its planned 25 and will enhance Kinéis’ ability to connect the planet and address essential challenges for humanity, its activities, and its environment.

“We’re excited to welcome the Kinéis team on board Electron again as we help them build out their constellation," said Rocket Lab founder and CEO, Sir Peter Beck. “Dedicated launch is key for the kind of precise orbital deployment requirements many constellation operators need, so we’re proud to make that possible once again.”

“The Kinéis teams are ready to build on the success of the first launch. They have capitalized on this first and delicate technical experience of putting our first five satellites into position and are delivering a real technical performance in managing the five new satellites simultaneously, in addition to the five already in the air,” said Alexandre Tisserant, Chairman of Kinéis. “Rocket Lab's Electron launcher made a major contribution to this success, thanks to the precision with which it injected our nanosatellites into their positions. The IoT revolution is underway. Thanks to our space-based connectivity, we'll be able to connect any object anywhere in the world in near real time. Go Kinéis!”

Rocket Lab ships two satellites to the launch site for NASA Mars mission

Rocket Lab USA has successfully packed and shipped two Mars-bound spacecraft to Cape Canaveral, FL in preparation for launch. These twin spacecraft for the Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers (ESCAPADE) heliophysics mission were designed, built, integrated, and tested by Rocket Lab for the University of California Berkeley’s Space Science Laboratory and NASA.

The spacecraft, known as Blue and Gold, recently completed comprehensive assembly, integration, and test at Rocket Lab’s Spacecraft Production Complex and headquarters in Long Beach, California. Following this milestone, the Rocket Lab team conducted final closeout activities, including the installation of spacecraft solar arrays and multi-layer insulation (MLI) blankets, before they were packaged and shipped to Florida for launch.

Upon arrival at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Launch Complex, Rocket Lab team members will transfer the spacecraft to a cleanroom for post-transport inspections and tests. Following thorough checks, the team will commence preparation for fueling the spacecraft in anticipation of their upcoming launch on Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket.

“We’ve already been to the Moon for NASA, so we’re excited to build on that and send Rocket Lab technology deeper into the solar system, this time to the Red Planet,” said Rocket Lab founder and CEO Sir Peter Beck. “Our Space Systems team has built a beautiful and highly capable pair of spacecraft to help NASA and the University of California Berkeley further humanity’s understanding of Mars. We couldn’t be prouder to be an ESCAPADE mission partner enabling science and exploration missions beyond our planet. After a meticulous but speedy build and test phase, we’re excited to have Blue and Gold on their way to the Cape and a step closer to Mars.”

Rocket Lab successfully completes latest launch with Capella Space

Rocket Lab USA, a global leader in launch services and space systems, today successfully launched its 52nd Electron rocket and deployed a single satellite to low Earth orbit for Capella Space (Capella).

The mission, named “A Sky Full of SARs” in a nod to the synthetic aperture radar (SAR) capabilities of Capella’s spacecraft, lifted off at 01:18 AM New Zealand Standard Time on August 12th from Launch Complex 1, Rocket Lab’s private orbital launch site on New Zealand’s Mahia Peninsula. The mission deployed the next of Capella’s third-generation SAR Acadia satellites to a mid-inclination 615km low Earth orbit. In addition to the launch service, Rocket Lab provided a custom extended fairing on Electron to encompass the payload before Capella’s satellite was deployed to space from a Rocket Lab-produced separation system.

The mission was the fifth launch for Capella that’s taken place since Capella’s first mission on Electron in August 2020. That mission, called “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Optical”, launched from Launch Complex 1 to deploy the very first satellite in Capella’s SAR constellation. Subsequent successful missions include the “Stronger Together” mission launched for Capella from Rocket Lab’s Launch Complex 2 on Wallops Island, Virginia, in March 2023 and the “We Love The Nightlife” mission launched from Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand just five months later in August 2023.

Rocket Lab successfully completes latest launch for Synspective

Rocket Lab USA, Inc., a global leader in launch services and space systems, confirmed it had successfully launched its 51st Electron rocket and deployed a single satellite to low Earth orbit for Synspective, a Japanese Earth-imaging company.

The mission, named “Owl For One, One For Owl” in a nod to Synspective’s StriX satellites named after the genus for owls, lifted off at 04:39 a.m., August 3rd NZT (16:39 UTC, August 2nd) from Launch Complex 1, Rocket Lab’s private orbital launch site on New Zealand’s Mahia Peninsula. The mission deployed the fifth of Synspective’s StriX SAR-imaging satellites to low Earth orbit. In addition to the launch service, Rocket Lab provided a custom Electron fairing to encapsulate the StriX satellite and also performed an advanced mid-mission manoeuvre with Electron’s Kick Stage to shield the satellite from the sun and reduce radiation exposure on its way to orbit.

Rocket Lab has been the sole launch provider for Synspective’s constellation to date. This mission was the fifth launch of a total of 16 launches booked on Electron for Synspective and the second launch for the Japanese company this year, after the “Owl Night Long” mission launched in March 2024. Most recently, Synspective booked ten dedicated Electron launches as part of a new multi-launch agreement announced in June 2024, with the launches in that new deal set to take place across 2025-2027.

Rocket Lab founder and CEO Sir Peter Beck says: “It’s wonderful to have launched our second mission for Synspective in five months as we continue our longstanding launch partnership. Electron is the ideal rocket for providing flexible, tailored, and direct access to orbit for constellation builders like Synspective, and I’m proud of the team for delivering this latest mission success."

The launch window for Rocket Lab’s next Electron mission will be announced in the coming days.

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Rocket Lab sets launch period for 51st Electron Mission

Rocket Lab USA, announced the launch window for its 51st Electron launch, a mission that will launch the latest satellite in a constellation being built by its long-standing customer Synspective.

The “Owl for One, One for Owl” mission is scheduled to launch from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand during a 14-day launch window that opens on July 31st NZST / July 30th UTC. In addition to deploying a single StriX satellite to low Earth orbit for this mission, Rocket Lab will perform an advanced mid-mission manoeuvre with Electron’s Kick Stage to shield the satellite from the sun and reduce radiation exposure.

The mission will be the fifth launch of a total of 16 launches on Electron for Synspective, a Japanese Earth observation company deploying a constellation of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites designed to deliver imagery that can detect millimetre-level changes to the Earth’s surface from space. Rocket Lab has been the sole launch provider for Synspective’s constellation to date, and this latest mission continues a lasting and trusted partnership to deploy their StriX constellation to low Earth orbit. Most recently that partnership was further cemented by a new multi-launch contract of ten dedicated Electron launches for Synspective announced in June 2024, with the launches in that new deal set to take place across 2025-2027.

Rocket Lab founder and CEO, Sir Peter Beck, says: “Synspective’s long-standing trust in the team to build out their constellation is recognition of Electron’s continued dominance as the ultimate small launch vehicle for the industry. Schedule flexibility, a reliable rocket launching more and more frequently, and our unique in-space capabilities that support mission needs are all critical functions at play in the multi-launch contracts being signed by our domestic and international launch customers. It’s an honor to continue launching for Synspective through our ongoing partnership.”

“Owl for One, One for Owl” will be Rocket Lab’s 51st Electron mission and ninth launch this year. As well as an additional launch for Synspective scheduled to take place before the end of this year, other launches for multi-launch contract customers include space-based intelligence company BlackSky and French Internet-of-Things (IoT) company Kinéis.

Rocket Lab’s Electron Rocket Lands at the California Science Centre

Rocket Lab USA, a global leader in launch services and space systems, has donated one of its Electron rockets to the California Science Center’s Samuel Oschin Air and Space Centre expansion project.

Available for public view now, Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket will be showcased temporarily at the California Science Center’s Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center Work in Progress gallery, offering a preview of new artifacts and plans for the future Air and Space Center. Electron’s inclusion in the exhibit will mark the first time the public can view the historic rocket up close.

“We’re proud to be included among historic names in aerospace from Southern California in this exhibit,” said Rocket Lab founder and CEO Peter Beck. “Our mission is to make access to space accessible to everyone, and we hope Electron’s inclusion will inspire future STEM leaders.”

Electron is one of the world’s most prolific launch vehicles, having completed 50 launches from sites in New Zealand and Virginia, USA. Electron is the world’s first carbon composite orbital launch vehicle and the first to use 3D printed engines. Electron’s equipped with 10 3-D printed Rutherford engines, designed and fabricated in Long Beach, Calif. Electron has delivered 190 satellites deployed to orbit for our customers across commercial, civil, defense and academic sectors since Rocket Lab’s first launch in 2017.

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Get ready for another launch from Rocket Lab

Rocket Lab USA, is preparing two back-to-back Electron launches to deploy NASA’s PREFIRE - Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment mission.  The two dedicated missions will each deploy one satellite to a 525km circular orbit from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand. The first mission – named ‘Ready, Aim, PREFIRE’ – is scheduled to launch no earlier than May 22, 2024. The launch date of the second mission – named ‘PREFIRE And Ice’ – will be scheduled to take place within three weeks of the successful deployment of the first PREFIRE mission. The missions will be Rocket Lab’s 48th and 49th Electron launches overall and its sixth and seventh launches of 2024.

NASA’s PREFIRE mission is a climate change-focused mission that will systematically measure the heat, in the form of infrared and far-infrared wavelengths, lost from Earth’s polar regions for the first time. Extreme storms, flooding, and coastal erosion are examples of weather outcomes that are influenced by climate conditions in the Arctic and Antarctica. Once deployed to their separate orbits, the two PREFIRE satellites will criss-cross over the Arctic and Antarctica measuring thermal infrared radiation – the same type of energy emitted from a heat lamp – that will make climate models more accurate and help predict changes caused by global warming. PREFIRE consists of two 6U CubeSats with a baseline mission length of 10 months.

Rocket Lab gets ready for back-to-back launches for climate change research mission

Rocket Lab USA, is preparing two back-to-back Electron launches to deploy NASA’s PREFIRE - Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment mission.  The two dedicated missions will each deploy one satellite to a 525km circular orbit from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand. The first mission – named ‘Ready, Aim, PREFIRE’ – is scheduled to launch no earlier than May 22, 2024. The launch date of the second mission – named ‘PREFIRE And Ice’ – will be scheduled to take place within three weeks of the successful deployment of the first PREFIRE mission. The missions will be Rocket Lab’s 48th and 49th Electron launches overall and its sixth and seventh launches of 2024.

NASA’s PREFIRE mission is a climate change-focused mission that will systematically measure the heat, in the form of infrared and far-infrared wavelengths, lost from Earth’s polar regions for the first time. Extreme storms, flooding, and coastal erosion are examples of weather outcomes that are influenced by climate conditions in the Arctic and Antarctica. Once deployed to their separate orbits, the two PREFIRE satellites will criss-cross over the Arctic and Antarctica measuring thermal infrared radiation – the same type of energy emitted from a heat lamp – that will make climate models more accurate and help predict changes caused by global warming. PREFIRE consists of two 6U CubeSats with a baseline mission length of 10 months.

Rocket Lab prepares to launch mission for KAIST and NASA to deploy satellites to two separate orbits

Rocket Lab USA has set the launch window for its next Electron launch.

The ‘Beginning Of The Swarm’ mission is scheduled to launch from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand during a 14-day launch window that opens on April 24th. Electron will carry two satellites for two separate customers: NEONSAT-1, an Earth observation satellite for the Satellite Technology Research Center (SaTReC) at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), and NASA’s Advanced Composite Solar Sail System (ACS3).

The launch will broadcast live at www.rocketlabusa.com/live-stream

The primary payload for this mission, NEONSAT-1, is an Earth observation satellite with a high-resolution optical camera designed to monitor for natural disasters along the Korean Peninsula by pairing its images with artificial intelligence. NEONSAT-1 is the first satellite developed under the NEONSAT program by SaTReC and KAIST, Korea’s leading university in science and technology, which developed and operated Korea’s very first satellite KITSAT-1 more than 30 years ago. Other NEONSAT satellites are planned to be launched in 2026 and 2027 to build out the NEONSAT constellation. The program is a collaboration across multiple Korean academic, industry, and research institutions including SaTReC in KAIST, which is leading the program’s system design and engineering; the SaTReC Initiative, a Korean satellite manufacturer that has successfully developed seven previous remote sensing satellites for low Earth orbit; and the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI), which is managing the mission’s ground segments and technology supervision for the NEONSAT program. NEONSAT is funded by the Koren government’s Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT).

Rocket Lab successfully launches 45th Electron mission for Synspective

Rocket Lab USA, a global leader in launch services and space systems, today launched its 45th Electron rocket, successfully deploying a fourth synthetic aperture radar satellite to Synspective’s Earth-observation constellation.

“Owl Night Long,” a dedicated mission for Synspective, launched from Pad B at Rocket Lab’s Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand at 04:03 NZDT on March 13, 2024 (15:03 UTC, March 12). The mission delivered a single spacecraft, the StriX-3 satellite, to a 561km Sun Synchronous Orbit, where it joined Synspective’s growing constellation.

Rocket Lab has been the sole launch provider for Synspective’s constellation, previously delivering three satellites across launches in September 2022, February 2022, and December 2020. Rocket Lab will launch two more missions for Synspective as part of a multi-launch agreement signed in 2023.

Rocket Lab to launch NRO mission from Wallops, Virginia

The mission will be Rocket Lab’s first NRO launch from Wallops, Virginia, following four previous successful launches for the agency from New Zealand 

Rocket Lab USA, a global leader in launch services and space systems, announced it will launch a dedicated mission for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) from Launch Complex 2 in Wallops, Virginia, during a launch window that opens March 20th, 2024.   

The NROL-123 mission, called ‘Live and Let Fly’, will be Rocket Lab’s first launch for the NRO from the United States after previously launching four NRO missions from Launch Complex 1 on New Zealand’s Mahia Peninsula. It will be Rocket Lab’s 4thmission from Launch Complex 2, a dedicated pad for the Electron rocket located at Virginia Spaceport Authority's Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport within the NASA Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.  

Rocket Lab schedules launch date for 45th Electron Mission........

Rocket Lab USA,  a global leader in launch services and space systems, today announced the launch window for its 45th Electron launch, a dedicated mission for Synspective, a Japanese Earth-imaging satellite constellation operator.

The “Owl Night Long” mission is scheduled to launch during a 14-day window that opens on March 10th NZDT (March 9th UTC). The mission will lift off from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand and will deploy a StriX-3 satellite to orbit, continuing a multi-launch agreement to deliver Synspective’s StriX-series satellites to low Earth orbit.

Rocket Lab has been the exclusive launch provider for Synspective to date and the “Owl Night Long” mission will be Rocket Lab’s fourth launch for the constellation operator following launches in 2020 and 2022:

The Owls’ Night Begins: Launched December 2020

The Owl’s Night Continues: Launched February 2022

The Owl Spreads its Wings: Launched September 2022

Synspective is a satellite data solutions provider with its own constellation of SAR satellites. Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) is an active system that transmits microwave pulses toward the Earth's surface and receives the reflected signals to create an image of the target area. Unlike other imaging technologies, SAR can penetrate clouds and other atmospheric conditions, enabling it to collect data day or night with frequent revisit rates.

Rocket Lab USA has set the launch window for its first mission of 2024.

Rocket Lab USA, Inc. has set the launch window for its first mission of 2024.

Rocket Lab will also attempt to recover Electron’s first stage from the mission in next step for reusability.

The ‘Four of a Kind’ mission is scheduled to launch no earlier than January 18 between 19:15-20:00 NZT (January 18 between 06:15-07:00 UTC) from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand. The mission will deploy four Space Situational Awareness (SSA) satellites for Spire Global, Inc’s (Spire) customer NorthStar Earth & Space (NorthStar). NorthStar´s satellites, built and operated by Spire, will be the first to simultaneously monitor all near-Earth orbits from space, delivering a radically enhanced level of SSA services to the global satellite community, with timely and precise information for space object detection, tracking, orbit determination, collision avoidance, navigation, and proximity alerts.

As a secondary mission, Rocket Lab will be attempting to splash down and retrieve Electron’s first stage as part of the Company’s plan to evolve Electron into a reusable rocket. After launch and stage separation, Electron’s first stage will return to Earth under a parachute and splash down in the Pacific Ocean several hundred kilometers down range from Launch Complex 1. Rocket Lab’s recovery vessel will extract the stage from the water for transportation back to Rocket Lab’s production complex where it will undergo detailed analysis. Rocket Lab is not launching any pre-flown engines as part of this mission.

“With each recovery mission we iterate toward Electron reusability and with recent launches we’ve made significant leaps forward with more successful splashdowns, recoveries and the first launch of a pre-flown Rutherford engine,” said Rocket Lab founder and CEO Peter Beck. “We’re looking forward to putting advanced heat-shielding and waterproofing systems to the test on this mission as one of the final steps before re-flying an entire first stage. To launch an advanced mission like this with Spire as a mission partner is a real privilege, as they were on our very first orbital mission in 2018. To be partnered up again and both still pushing boundaries with new technology and capabilities all these years later is a great full circle moment.”

Rocket Lab Reaches New Annual Launch Record with 10th Electron Mission This Year

The mission successfully deployed a satellite for Japan-based Earth imaging company Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space, Inc.

Rocket Lab a global leader in launch services and space systems, today successfully launched its 42nd Electron rocket and deployed a satellite for Japan-based Earth imaging company the Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space, Inc. (iQPS). The mission was Rocket Lab’s 10th Electron launch for the year, surpassing the Company’s previous annual record of nine launches in 2022. For the fifth year in a row, Electron has retained the title of the second most frequently launched U.S. rocket annually.

The mission, named “The Moon God Awakens”, launched from Pad B at Rocket Lab’s Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand at 17:05 NZDT / 04:05 UTC on December 15th. Named after the Japanese God of the Moon, the iQPS-SAR-5 satellite “TSUKUYOMI-I” is a synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) satellite that will collect high-resolution images of Earth. The satellite joins another iQPS satellite already in orbit and forms part of what will eventually be a 36-satellite constellation capable of monitoring Earth at specific fixed points every 10 minutes.

Rocket Lab Spacecraft built for Varda successfully operating in orbit

Rocket Lab USA, Inc. a global leader in launch services and space systems announced this week that its spacecraft for Varda Space Industries, a leading in-space manufacturing and hypersonic re-entry logistics company, is successfully operating in orbit after launching from Vandenberg Space Force Base on Tuesday's SpaceX’s Transporter-8 mission at 14:35 local time. 

The spacecraft was developed, manufactured, and tested at Rocket Lab’s Spacecraft Production Facility in Long Beach, California, and it incorporates Rocket Lab-designed and manufactured components and software including star trackers, propulsion system, reaction wheels, solar panels, flight software, radios, composite structures and tanks, and separation systems.

Now successfully operating on orbit, the spacecraft will provide power, communications, propulsion, and attitude control to Varda’s 120kg capsule that will produce pharmaceutical products in microgravity and return them to Earth. Upon completion of the in-space manufacturing phase of Varda’s mission, Rocket Lab’s spacecraft will place Varda’s hypersonic re-entry capsule (carrying finished pharmaceuticals on board) on a return trajectory to Earth. The spacecraft is the first of four ordered by Varda to support in-space pharmaceutical manufacturing, with the second spacecraft currently undergoing assembly, integration, and testing.

Rocket Lab Sets Date for Second NASA TROPICS Launch to Deploy Storm Monitoring Constellation

Rocket Lab USA,  a leading launch and space systems company, is preparing for the second of two dedicated Electron launches to deploy a constellation of storm monitoring satellites for NASA.

The launch, called ‘Coming To A Storm Near You,’ is scheduled for lift-off no earlier than 17:30 on May 22nd NZST from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 on New Zealand’s Mahia Peninsula. The launch follows on from the successful ‘Rocket Like a Hurricane’ Electron launch on May 8th 2023, which deployed the first two CubeSats of NASA’s TROPICS constellation. The ‘Coming To A Storm Near You’ launch will deploy the final two TROPICS CubeSats, completing the constellation.

Rocket Lab is preparing to launch the second half of NASA’s TROPICS satellite constellation as early as May 22, just two weeks after successfully completing the first launch

The TROPICS constellation (Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation structure and storm Intensity with a Constellation of Smallsats) will monitor the formation and evolution of tropical cyclones, including hurricanes, and will provide rapidly updating observations of storm intensity. This data will help scientists better understand the processes that affect these high-impact storms, ultimately leading to improved modelling and prediction. The constellation, which is part of NASA’s Earth System Science Pathfinder Program, consists of four CubeSats that require launch to a specific orbit at an altitude of 550 kilometres and inclination of about 30 degrees. All four satellites need to be deployed into their operational orbit within a 60-day period.

Rocket Lab successfully launches 34th Electron Rocket.

Rocket Lab USA, a leading launch and space systems company has announced it has successfully launched its 34th Electron rocket and second mission from its launch site on Wallops Island, Virginia deploying two spacecraft to low Earth orbit for Capella Space.

he “Stronger Together” mission lifted off at 22:38 UTC, March 16 2023 from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2 at Virginia Space’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport within NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility. Rocket Lab successfully deployed two 100-kg class Capella Space satellites to low Earth orbit.

"Congratulations to Capella Space and well done to the Rocket Lab team for another flawless launch from Virginia,” said Rocket Lab founder and CEO Peter Beck. “This year we’re really picking up the launch pace so while one Electron was on the pad at Launch Complex 2 for Capella Space, the team in New Zealand has been preparing the next rocket at Launch Complex 1 to enable two launches from two continents within days of each other. Dedicated and responsive space access for small sats is here now, made possible by Electron.”

Rocket Lab plans two launches from two continents this month

Rocket Lab USA, a leading launch and space systems company, today announced it is preparing to launch two dedicated missions in March from the Company’s launch sites in the United States and New Zealand - within days of each other.

One Electron rocket is ready and in position at Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand to deploy satellites for Spaceflight Inc. customer BlackSky, a real-time geospatial intelligence company. Meanwhile, a second rocket is simultaneously undergoing final launch preparations at Launch Complex 2 in Virginia to deploy satellites for American space tech company Capella Space, the world’s leading provider of commercial Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery.

Both launches are scheduled to take place in March with the launch windows to be finalized based on individual customer and range requirements; however, both missions are expected to launch within days of each other. Capella Space’s two satellites have been integrated to Electron at Launch Complex 2 and are ready for launch, while BlackSky’s two satellites are undergoing final check outs before integration to Electron at Launch Complex 1. Rocket Lab has also completed a Wet Dress Rehearsal at Launch Complex 2 and the mission is now awaiting range clearances from NASA and the FAA to proceed with launch. Meanwhile, Launch Complex 1’s Wet Dress Rehearsal is scheduled to take place in the coming days.

Running simultaneous launch campaigns across two continents once again demonstrates Rocket Lab’s ability to deliver responsive and flexible launch solutions to the small satellite market. The upcoming missions are expected to best Rocket Lab’s previous launch turnaround record set at Launch Complex 1 in 2022 when Rocket Lab launched the CAPSTONE mission to the Moon for NASA followed by a dedicated mission for the National Reconnaissance Office 15 days later.

Rocket Lab offers new products for small satellites

Rocket Lab USA, Inc, a global leader in launch services and space systems, has released two new high-performance space systems products designed to increase the availability of essential satellite components to the global small satellite market.

Bolstering the Company’s existing line of proven satellite components, the new Rocket Lab products include the Frontier-X software-defined radio designed to provide high-speed data for both near-Earth and deep space small satellite missions, as well as a new 12Nms reaction wheel designed specifically for constellation class satellites.

The products join Rocket Lab’s existing heritage space systems components including star trackers, reaction wheels, separation systems, radios, flight software, ground software, and solar power solutions. Combined, Rocket Lab’s space systems components have supported more than 1,700 space missions to date.

Enabling Small Sat Deep Space Missions With Frontier-X Satellite Radio

Rocket Lab Successfully Launches First Electron Mission from U.S. Soil

Rocket Lab USA, Inc. a leading launch and space systems company, today successfully launched its 33rd Electron rocket and first mission from Virginia. The “Virginia is for Launch Lovers” mission lifted off at 18:00 EST on January 24th from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2 (LC-2) at Virginia Space’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport within NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility. The mission deployed three satellites to a 550km orbit for leading radio frequency geospatial analytics provider HawkEye 360. Rocket Lab has now successfully deployed a total of 155 satellites to orbit from the Company’s three launch pads across the U.S. and New Zealand.

The mission was Rocket Lab’s 33rd Electron mission overall, but the first launched from U.S. soil, introducing a new responsive launch capability to the nation

The successful launch from LC-2 marks the beginning of a new era of responsive launch capability for small satellites from U.S. soil. Built with support from Virginia Space, the Commonwealth of Virginia and NASA Wallops Flight Facility, Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2 is designed to serve the responsive space needs of commercial, civil, defense, and national security customers, supporting up to 12 missions per year. Combined with Rocket Lab’s private Launch Complex 1 site in New Zealand, the Company’s launch sites can support more than 130 launch opportunities every year, delivering flexibility and rapid launch capability for customers.

“Electron is already the leading small orbital rocket globally, and today’s perfect mission from a new pad is testament to our team’s unrelenting commitment to mission success,” said Rocket Lab founder and CEO Peter Beck. “After our busiest launch year yet in 2022 with nine successful missions, what better way to kick off the new year than by launching Virginia-built spacecraft from a Virginia launch site, enabled by our rapidly growing Virginia-based team. This mission has been a real team effort. Thanks to the consistent support of NASA, Virginia Space, the FAA, the Commonwealth and our mission partner HawkEye 360, Rocket Lab is proud to bring a reliable and responsive new launch capability to Virginia’s Eastern Shore.”

“We are grateful to share in the success of today’s launch. Our sixth trio of satellites and our first mid-latitude satellite cluster will broaden the scope of our geospatial insights for our partners around the world,” said HawkEye 360 CEO, John Serafini. “This also marks our first launch in our home state of Virginia, making today’s success even more meaningful. We look forward to a fruitful partnership with Rocket Lab and Virginia Space in the months and years ahead.”

The launch of Electron from the NASA-controlled Wallops Flight Facility also marked the introduction of the agency’s autonomous flight termination capability, known as NAFTU (NASA Autonomous Flight Termination Unit). While Rocket Lab has successfully flown its own autonomous system on Electron missions since 2019, NASA developed NAFTU in conjunction with this launch to provide a common system for flight termination for a wide array of launch vehicles at any launch range. Autonomous flight termination capability now being in operation at Wallops can provide faster and cheaper access to space for small satellites by enabling wider launch windows, smaller launch safety corridors, and reduced reliance on ground-based systems.

“We are honored to support the launch of this historic mission,” said Ted Mercer, CEO and Executive Director of Virginia Space. “In addition to being Rocket Lab’s first and only U.S. launch location, we will also be building rockets and processing their payload right here in Accomack County – something that has never been done in Virginia. Our partnership with Rocket Lab is a unique opportunity for the Commonwealth of Virginia to create long-term economic development opportunities in the form of high-paying jobs, launch viewing tourism, and construction of new facilities on the Eastern Shore.”

The “Virginia is for Launch Lovers” mission was the first of three Electron launches for HawkEye 360 in a contract that will see Rocket Lab deliver 15 satellites to low Earth orbit in 2023 and 2024. These missions will grow HawkEye 360’s constellation of radio frequency monitoring satellites, enabling the company to better deliver precise geolocation of radio frequency emissions anywhere in the world. Supporting Rocket Lab’s vertical integration strategy, Rocket Lab will also supply HawkEye 360 with separation systems produced by Planetary Systems Corporation, a Maryland-based space hardware company acquired by Rocket Lab in December 2021.

Virginia is the first U.S. launch location of the Electron launch vehicle, but it will also be home to the Company’s new larger launch vehicle Neutron, which will be built, tested, launched, and landed within the Wallops Flight Facility in the future. Construction is underway of the Neutron Production Complex as development of the new rocket progresses, thanks to the continuous support from the Commonwealth and Virginia Space.