Watch the Launch

Additional Media

NASA Awards Launch Services Task Order for TROPICS CubeSats Mission

NASA has selected Rocket Lab USA Inc. of Long Beach, California, to provide the launch service for the agency’s Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation Structure and Storm Intensity with a Constellation of Smallsats (TROPICS) mission, as part of the agency's Venture-class Acquisition of Dedicate...

TROPICS-3

Circle Image

Overview

Destination: Low Earth Orbit
Mission: Earth Science

Low Earth Orbit Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
37 - South Pacific

Last two operational (TROPICS-06 & TROPICS-07) satellites for NASA's Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation Structure and Storm Intensity with a Constellation of SmallSats (TROPICS) mission. The CubeSats are designed to provide rapid-refresh microwave measurements that can be used to determine temperature, pressure, and humidity inside hurricanes as they form and evolve.

Updates

Cosmic_Penguin • May 26, 2023, 4:42 a.m.

Payloads have been deployed.


Cosmic_Penguin • May 26, 2023, 3:47 a.m.

Liftoff.


LL2 • May 26, 2023, 3:14 a.m.

Livestream has started


Cosmic_Penguin • May 26, 2023, 2:01 a.m.

New T-0.


Cosmic_Penguin • May 24, 2023, 11:37 p.m.

Delayed 1 day due to upper level winds.


Electron

Family:
Configuration:

Electron is a two-stage orbital expendable launch vehicle (with an optional third stage) developed by the American aerospace company Rocket Lab. Electron is a small-lift launch vehicle designed to launch small satellites and cubesats to sun-synchronous orbit and low earth orbit. The Electron is the first orbital class rocket to use electric-pump-fed engines, powered by the 9 Rutherford engines on the first stage. It is also used as a suborbital testbed (called HASTE) for hypersonics research.

See Details
Specifications
  • Minimum Stage
    2
  • Max Stage
    3
  • Length
    18.0 m
  • Diameter
    1.2 m
  • Fairing Diameter
    1.2 m
  • Launch Mass
    13.0 T
  • Thrust
    162.0 kN
Family
  • Name
    Electron
  • Family
  • Variant
  • Alias
  • Full Name
    Electron
Payload Capacity
  • Launch Cost
    $6000000
  • Low Earth Orbit
    300.0 kg
  • Geostationary Transfer Orbit
  • Direct Geostationary
  • Sun-Synchronous Capacity
    225.0 kg

Booster Info


37


Type: Core
Flight Proven: No
First Flight: May 26, 2023
Last Flight: May 26, 2023
Flights: 1

Landing Information

Booster expended on its first flight.

Core will be expended.

Rocket Lab

Rocket Lab

(RL)

CEO: Peter Beck Founded: 2006 Successes: 76 Failures: 4 Pending: 42

Agency Type:

Rocket Lab is an American aerospace manufacturer with a wholly owned New Zealand subsidiary. The company develops lightweight, cost-effective commercial rocket launch services. The Electron Program was founded on the premise that small payloads such as CubeSats require dedicated small launch vehicles and flexibility not currently offered by traditional rocket systems. Its rocket, the Electron, is a light-weight rocket and is now operating commercially. The company is also producing a variety of spacecrafts and spacecrafts components.

INFO WIKI

Related News

NASA

Tech From NASA’s Hurricane-hunting TROPICS Flies on Commercial Satellites

NASA science and American industry have worked hand-in-hand for more than 60 years, transforming novel technologies created with NASA research into commercial products like cochlear implants, memory-foam mattresses, and more. Now, a NASA-f…

NASA

NASA’s TROPICS Mission: Offering Detailed Images and Analysis of Tropical Cyclones

Introduction Tropical cyclones represent a danger to life, property, and the economies of communities. Researchers who study tropical cyclones have focused on remote observations using space-based platforms to image these storms, inform fo…

Teslarati

Rocket Lab’s Electron delivers TROPICS constellation to orbit

Electron, Rocket Lab’s small satellite launch vehicle, launched twice, just ~2 weeks apart from the companies Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New...

SpaceNews

Electron launches second pair of NASA TROPICS cubesats

A Rocket Lab Electron rocket launched a second pair of NASA storm-tracking cubesats late May 25, six years and three dozen flights after the company’s first orbital launch attempt.

NASA

NASA, Rocket Lab Complete Launch of TROPICS CubeSat Constellation

The final pair of NASA’s TROPICS (Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation structure and storm Intensity with a Constellation of Smallsats) are in orbit after successfully launching at 11:46 p.m. EDT, May 25, (3:46 p.m. NZST Friday, May…

Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand

Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B


Falcon 9
Success
1 day, 8 hours ago
GPS III SV09
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

Ninth of ten GPS III missions.


Falcon 9
Success
3 days, 19 hours ago
Starlink Group 17-20
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 25 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


New Shepard
Success
6 days, 20 hours ago
NS-38
West Texas Suborbital Launch Site/ Corn Ranch - Corn Ranch, Van Horn, TX, USA

NS-38 is the 17th crewed flight for the New Shepard program and the 38th in the New Shepard program's history.


Electron
Success
1 week ago
The Cosmos Will See You Now (Open Cosmos Constellation Launch 1)
Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A - Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand

First 2 satellites (named MR-1 and MR-2) of UK-based Open Cosmos' secure LEO broadband constellation designed to provide independent and resilient co…


Falcon 9
Success
1 week ago
Starlink Group 17-30
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 25 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Long March 12
Success
1 week, 3 days ago
SatNet LEO Group 19
Commercial LC-2 - Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China

A batch of 9 Low Earth Orbit communication satellites for the Chinese state owned SatNet constellation operated by the China Satellite Network Group.…


Falcon 9
Success
1 week, 3 days ago
Starlink Group 6-100
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

A batch of 29 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Falcon 9
Success
1 week, 5 days ago
NROL-105
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

Twelfth batch of satellites for a reconnaissance satellite constellation built by SpaceX and Northrop Grumman for the National Reconnaissance Office …


Ceres-2
Failure
1 week, 5 days ago
Demo Flight
Launch Area 95A - Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

First test launch of Galactic Energy’s Ceres-2 rocket.


Long March 3B/E
Failure
1 week, 5 days ago
Shijian 32
Launch Complex 2 (LC-2) - Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Chinese experimental spacecraft of unknown purposes.