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DARPA R3D2

The DARPA R3D2 mission was Rocket Lab’s fifth mission and the<br /> company’s first launch of 2019.<br /> <br /> The mission launched the R3D2 (Radio Frequency Risk Reduction Deployment Demonstration) payload for DARPA. R3D2 was a prototype reflect array antenna designed to improve radio communic...

DARPA R3D2

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Overview

Destination: Low Earth Orbit
Mission: Communications

Low Earth Orbit Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A Onenui Station, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand #R3D2

Radio Frequency Risk Reduction Deployment Demonstration (R3D2) is a mission for Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). It will test a prototype reflect array antenna which is intended to improve radio communications in small spacecraft.

Electron

Family: Electron
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.

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

Rocket Lab Ltd

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CEO: Peter Beck Founded: 2006 Successes: 32 Failures: 3 Pending: 15

Agency Type: Commercial

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. Electron currently launches from only Mahia Peninsula in New Zealand however a second launch complex in the US is under development.

INFO WIKI

Onenui Station, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand

Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A


Falcon 9
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Starlink Group 5-10
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A batch of 56 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Soyuz 2-1v
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1 day, 7 hours ago
Kosmos 2568 (EO MKA-4)
43/4 (43R) - Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation

Note: Payload identity uncertain. Russian reconnaissance satellite of unknown purposes, possibly in the same series as Kosmos 2551, 2555 and 2560.


Shavit-2
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2 days, 4 hours ago
Ofek-13
Unknown Pad - Palmachim Airbase, State of Israel

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LVM-3 (GSLV Mk III)
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OneWeb 18
Satish Dhawan Space Centre Second Launch Pad - Sriharikota, Republic of India

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Falcon 9
Success
6 days, 11 hours ago
Starlink Group 5-5
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral, FL, USA

A batch of 56 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Electron
Success
6 days, 18 hours ago
The Beat Goes On
Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B - Onenui Station, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand

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Soyuz 2.1a
Success
1 week ago
Kosmos 2567 (Bars-M No. 4)
43/3 (43L) - Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation

Note: Payload identity uncertain. Bars-M is the second incarnation of the Bars project, which was started in the mid 1990ies to develop a success…


Terran 1
Failure
1 week ago
Good Luck, Have Fun (Maiden Flight)
Launch Complex 16 - Cape Canaveral, FL, USA

Maiden launch of the Terran 1 rocket developed by Relativity Space.


Kuaizhou
Success
1 week, 1 day ago
Tianmu-1 03-06
Unknown Pad - Jiuquan, People's Republic of China

Small meteorology research satellites using GNSS radio occultation by CASIC subsidiary Xiyong Microelectronics Park. 01 & 02 were launched on Gala…


Falcon 9
Success
1 week, 6 days ago
SES-18 & SES-19
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral, FL, USA

SES-18 & SES-19 are two communications satellites built by Northrop Grumman.