Rocketship icon5/16/2023 First launch of NASA’s Artemis Program and first interplanetary for Electron/Rocket Lab. Launch of NASA’s CAPSTONE mission to lunar orbit. First attempt of helicopter recovery of Electron booster, which succeeded in grabbing the booster but was forced to release it due to unexpected load characteristics. Launch of 34 satellites for six customers. The final launch of BlackSky’s four launch contract with Rocket Lab. New turnaround record was set for Rocket Lab at 20 days.ĭedicated launch for Synspective, first launch from LC-1B in New Zealand. Third successful recovery of Electron’s booster, first to have a helicopter track the booster. Launch for the US Space Force, originally planned to launch out of LC-2 in Virginia, but NASA did not certify Rocket Lab’s flight termination system in time. Second successful recovery of Electron’s booster, this time with an upgraded heatshield.Ī failure in the second stage’s thrust vector control system caused the engine to be shut down early and the two BlackSky satellites to miss making it to orbit. Rocket Lab deployed its 100th satellite into orbit and its second Photon on a risk reduction test flight for NASA. The launch took place just six months after the contract signing. Total launches: 6 (1 failure) Mission Nameĭedicated launch for German-based tech company OHB. Test satellites for Japanese-based company Synspective. Launch of 10 satellites for Planet Labs (9) and Canon (1).Ī large group of payloads deployed for various customers, including a mass simulator from Gabe Newell called Gnome Chompski.įirst successful recovery of an Electron booster from the water. Launch of three classified payloads for the NRO, ELaNa 32 for NASA, the University of Southern Wales, and the Royal Australian Air Force.Įlectron’s second stage failed during flight due to a faulty electrical connection that was not caught during ground tests.įirst flight of Rocket Lab’s Photon satellite bus/kick stage. Total launches: 7 (1 failure) Mission Nameįirst launch for the National Reconnaissance Office, featured another controlled re-entry of Electron’s booster. The first launch of an upgraded bi-propellent kick stage to boost the payload to a 1,200 km orbit before deorbiting itself.įirst time Rocket Lab performed a re-entry of Electron’s booster to learn more about potential reuse. Launch of a French maritime vessel tracking satellites and another BlackSky payload. The first launch of a NASA-sponsored payload.įirst launch for DARPA, sending a test satellite into Earth orbit.įirst launch for the US Air Force and Electron’s first night launch.įirst launch for BlackSky (now a regular of Rocket Lab) as well as for Swarm Technologies (now owned by SpaceX). The first use of Rocket Lab’s kick stage. Successful liftoff and stage separation, but the rocket was destroyed by the range safety officer after connection was lost.įirst successful launch of Electron and to carry payloads. Total launches: 1 (1 failure) Mission Name Electron has failed during launch three times, giving it a roughly 90% success rate. Rocket Lab has launched 33 Electron rockets, with its best year being 2022, with nine successful launches so far. The newest launch pad for Electron is on Wallops Island, Virginia, at MARS and is called LC-2 by Rocket Lab and 0C by Virgina Space. LC-1B is next to LC-1A and launched its first Electron in February of 2022. LC-1A was the original launch pad for Electron and has launched most of the company’s rockets. Rocket Lab can launch its Electron rocket from three different sites, two of which are on the Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand. This mission as of July of last year, is set to launch from New Zealand but no specific date has been given. Specfically it will feature the first composite boom for a solar sail that should perform much better in space. Rocket Lab was selected to launch NASA’s Advance Composite Solar Sail System 3 mission and per a blog by the space agency is set to launch in early 2023.ĪCS3 is a 12U CubeSat (about the size of a microwave) that will demonstrate advances in solar sail technology. While Rocket Lab hasn’t yet confirmed a launch date, or if this is the next launch at all, but according to NASA announcements, we can take an educated guess. The next Rocket Lab launch might be for NASA
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