âAs the Crow Fliesâ
Booster: Electron
Payload: Palisade 16U CubeSat for Astro Digital
Location: Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, NZ
Launch Period: 15 October â 28 October 2019 NZDT (14 October â 28 October 2019 UTC)
Launch Window: Daily from 12:00 â 16:00 NZDT (23:00 â 03:00 UTC/7 â 11 pm EDT)
Live launch webcast: www.rocketlabusa.com/live-stream (begins 15 â 20 minutes prior to launch)
Launch Day Updates: www.rocketlabusa.com/missions/next-mission/ and follow Rocket Lab on Twitter @RocketLab
“As the Crow Flies”
Booster: Electron
Payload: Palisade 16U CubeSat for Astro Digital
Location: Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, NZ
Launch Period: 15 October â 28 October 2019 NZDT (14 October â 28 October 2019 UTC)
Launch Window: Daily from 12:00 – 16:00 NZDT (23:00 – 03:00 UTC/7 – 11 pm EDT)
Live launch webcast: www.rocketlabusa.com/live-stream (begins 15 – 20 minutes prior to launch)
Launch Day Updates: www.rocketlabusa.com/missions/next-mission/ and follow Rocket Lab on Twitter @RocketLab
by Douglas Messier
Managing Editor
The year 2018 was the busiest one for launches in decades. There were a total of 111 completely successful launches out of 114 attempts. It was the highest total since 1990, when 124 launches were conducted.
China set a new record for launches in 2018. The nation launched 39 times with 38 successes in a year that saw a private Chinese company fail in the country’s first ever orbital launch attempt.
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. (Rocket Lab PR) — Rocket Lab’s eighth mission will lift-off in August from Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand, carrying a total of four satellites aboard an Electron launch vehicle.
The mission is manifested with satellites destined to begin a new constellation for UNSEENLABS, as well as more rideshare payloads for Spaceflight, consisting of a spacecraft for BlackSky and the United States Air Force Space Command.
The first launch opportunity is no earlier than Friday, Aug. 16 at 12:57 UTC (8:57 EDT). The launch window is open until Aug. 30.
(more…)
Seattle – August 5, 2019 — Spaceflight, the leading satellite rideshare and mission management provider, today announced it has managed the procurement, integration, and mission management services for three spacecraft on Rocket Labâs next mission aboard an Electron rocket.
(more…)
by Douglas Messier
Managing Editor
Rocket Lab’s Electron booster successfully launched the “Make it Rain” rideshare mission for Seattle-based Spaceflight from New Zealand’s Mahia Peninsula on Saturday.
The mission lofted seven satellites, including: BlackSkyâs Global-3 imaging microsat; two U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) Prometheus reconnaissance CubeSats; two Swarm SpaceBEE satellites; Melbourne Space Programâs ACRUX-1 CubeSat; and one spacecraft from an undisclosed customer. The payloads weighed 80 kg (176.4 lb).
The BlackSky Global-3 imaging satellite was developed, designed and manufactured by BlackSky of the United States. The company is a provider of geospatial intelligence, satellite imaging and global monitoring services.
It was the sixth successful Electron launch in a row out of seven attempts and the third flight of 2019. Rocket Lab has now orbited 35 satellites on its six successful missions.
The mission’s name was drawn from the high volume of rainfall in Seattle where Spaceflight is headquartered and at the Mahia Peninsula where Electron from which Electron is launched.
SEATTLE (Spaceflight PR) — Spaceflight, the leading satellite rideshare and mission management provider, today announced it will launch seven spacecraft from five organizations later this month on Rocket Labâs Electron rocket from Launch Complex 1 at the southern tip of Mahia Peninsula, on the east coast of New Zealand’s North Island. This mission, also called âMake It Rainâ by Rocket Lab as a nod to the weather in both Seattle and New Zealand, represents Spaceflightâs first of five launches scheduled with Rocket Lab this year.
Rapid prototyping capabilities led DARPAâs R3D2 program to success
REDONDO BEACH, Calif., May 7, 2019 (Northrop Grumman PR) â Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) successfully demonstrated rapid spacecraft development for the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA), with the Radio Frequency Risk Reduction Deployment Demonstration (R3D2), which launched on March 28, 2019.
Northrop Grumman led a unique team of commercial suppliers to deliver a 150 kg small satellite from concept to orbit in 20 months. Traditional satellites of comparable complexity typically take many years to get to this stage.
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif., April 3, 2019 (Rocket Lab PR) — U.S. small satellite launch company Rocket Lab announced today that it will launch three experimental research and development (R&D) satellites for the U.S. Air Force in April. The mission will lift-off from Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand, carrying three R&D spacecraft to Low Earth Orbit aboard an Electron launch vehicle. The launch will be Rocket Labâs second orbital mission of 2019, and fifth orbital mission overall.
(more…)
The launch marks Rocket Labâs 25th satellite deployed to orbit, continuing the companyâs mission success heritage
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif., March 28, 2019 (Rocket Lab PR) â A Rocket Lab Electron launch vehicle successfully lifted off from Launch Complex 1 on New Zealandâs Mahia Peninsula at 23:27, March 28th UTC (12:27, 29 March NZDT). The mission launched a prototype reflect array antenna to orbit for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).
Good morning from Launch Complex 1! Counting down to 23:27 UTC for launch. pic.twitter.com/cD0YSIGZyQ
â Rocket Lab (@RocketLab) March 28, 2019
The launch window for the DARPA R3D2 mission is four hours long each day. Here's your handy dandy timezone guide!
NZDT: 11:30 – 15:30
UTC: 22:30 – 02:30
PDT: 15:30 – 19:30
EDT: 18:30 – 22:30— Rocket Lab (@RocketLab) March 22, 2019
Editor’s Note: The 13-day window for the launch of DARPA’s R3D2 satellite aboard Rocket Lab’s Electron booster from New Zealand opens no earlier than March 16.
ARLINGTON, Va. (DARPA PR) — DARPAâs Radio Frequency Risk Reduction Deployment Demonstration (R3D2) is set for launch in mid-March to space-qualify a new type of membrane reflectarray antenna. The antenna, made of a tissue-thin Kapton membrane, packs tightly for stowage during launch and then will deploy to its full size of 2.25 meters in diameter once it reaches low Earth orbit.
HUNTINGTON Beach Calif. (Rocket Lab PR) â US small satellite launch company Rocket Lab has launched its third orbital mission of 2018, successfully deploying satellites to orbit for NASA. The mission, designated Educational Launch of Nanosatellites (ELaNa)-19 , took place just over a month after Rocket Labâs last successful orbital launch, âItâs Business Time.â Rocket Lab has launched a total of 24 satellites to orbit in 2018.
