Watch the Launch

Additional Media

On Closer Inspection (ADRAS-J)

Circle Image

Overview

Destination: Sun-Synchronous Orbit
Mission: Earth Science

Sun-Synchronous Orbit Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B Onenui Station, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand

The Active Debris Removal by Astroscale-Japan (ADRAS-J) mission consists of a spacecraft developed and operated by Astroscale aiming to rendezvous with and characterize a large piece of debris. Its target is the H-2A upper stage left in Low Earth Orbit after the launch of the GOSAT Earth observation satellite in 2009.

Telemetry

Launch trajectory and telemetry simulations provided by Flight Club - a rocket launch simulator and orbital trajectory visualiser for all things space!

Updates

Cosmic_Penguin • Feb. 18, 2024, 4:57 p.m.

Launch success.


Cosmic_Penguin • Feb. 18, 2024, 2:53 p.m.

Liftoff.


LL2 • Feb. 18, 2024, 2:25 p.m.

Livestream has started


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. It is also used as a suborbital testbed (called HASTE) for hypersonics research.

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

Circle Image
CEO: Peter Beck Founded: 2006 Successes: 43 Failures: 4 Pending: 27

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. The company is also producing a variety of spacecrafts and spacecrafts components.

INFO WIKI

Related News

SpaceNews

Astroscale’s ADRAS-J mission enters next phase

Astroscale is moving into the next phase of an inspection missions as its spacecraft approaches a derelict upper stage in low Earth orbit.

NASASpaceflight

ADRAS-J mission takes methodical first steps toward the commercial removal of space debris

The recent increase in launches to meet growing demands for communications and observation satellites is adding more and more spacecraft to orbit every year. This is especially true in the more congested low-Earth orbit (LEO).

SpaceNews

Electron launches Astroscale inspection satellite

A Rocket Lab Electron launched an Astroscale spacecraft that will rendezvous with and inspect a spent upper stage in low Earth orbit as a precursor to removing it.

Onenui Station, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand

Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B


Long March 2
Success
1 day, 18 hours ago
Shenzhou 18
Launch Area 4 (SLS-1 / 921) - Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Seventh crewed flight to the Chinese space station.


Electron
Success
3 days, 8 hours ago
Beginning Of The Swarm (ACS3 & NeonSat-1)
Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B - Onenui Station, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand

NASA's Advanced Composite Solar Sail System (ACS3) is a technology demonstration mission tasked with deploying a composite boom solar sail. NeonSa…


Falcon 9
Success
3 days, 9 hours ago
Starlink Group 6-53
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral, FL, USA

A batch of 23 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Long March 2D
Success
6 days, 7 hours ago
Yaogan 42-02
Launch Complex 3 (LC-3/LA-1) - Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

The Yaogan 42-02 is a Chinese military “remote sensing” satellite of unknown purposes.


Falcon 9
Success
1 week, 1 day ago
Starlink Group 6-52
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral, FL, USA

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


Falcon 9
Success
1 week, 2 days ago
Starlink Group 6-51
Launch Complex 39A - Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

A batch of 23 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Long March 2D
Success
1 week, 5 days ago
SuperView Neo 3-01
Launch Area 4 (SLS-2 / 603) - Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Commercial Earth observation satellite built by CAST for China Siwei Survey and Mapping Technology Co. Ltd, with 0.5 m resolution over 9 image wavele…


Falcon 9
Success
2 weeks ago
Starlink Group 6-49
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral, FL, USA

A batch of 23 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Falcon 9
Success
2 weeks, 1 day ago
USSF-62
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

First Weather System Follow-on (WSF) satellite. WSF-M (Weather System Follow-on - Microwave) is the next-generation operational environmental sate…


Angara A5/Blok DM-03
Success
2 weeks, 1 day ago
Vostochny Angara Test Flight
Cosmodrome Site 1A - Vostochny Cosmodrome, Siberia, Russian Federation

First test launch of the Angara A5 launch vehicle from the Vostochny Cosmodrome. The rocket will carry a mass simulator payload.