Watch the Launch

Additional Media

Rocket Like A Hurricane

Rocket Lab will launch NASA’s Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation Structure and Storm Intensity with a Constellation of Smallsats (TROPICS) mission across two separate Electron launches.

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...

Awards Launch Service Contract for TROPICS Mission

NASA has selected Astra Space Inc. to provide a launch service for the agency’s Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation Structure and Storm Intensity with a Constellation of SmallSats (TROPICS) mission.

TROPICS-2

Circle Image

Overview

Destination: Low Earth Orbit
Mission: Earth Science

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

Third and fourth operational (TROPICS-04 & TROPICS-05) 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

Jay • May 8, 2023, 2:49 a.m.

Both TROPICS satellites have deployed from the Electron kickstage


Jay • May 8, 2023, 1 a.m.

Liftoff of Electron carrying 2 NASA TROPICS satellite


LL2 • May 8, 2023, 12:24 a.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

Booster Info


36


Type: Core
Flight Proven: No
First Flight: May 8, 2023
Last Flight: May 8, 2023
Flights: 1

Landing Information

Booster expended on its first flight.

Core will be expended.

Rocket Lab

Circle Image
CEO: Peter Beck Founded: 2006 Successes: 37 Failures: 4 Pending: 32

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

Related News

The Launch Pad

NASA TROPICS Constellation Fully Operational & Ready For Hurricane Season

NASA's TROPICS (Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation structure and storm Intensity with a Constellation of Smallsats) are now fully operational, and are ready to bolster monitoring efforts for the ongoing Atlantic hurricane season.

SpaceNews

TROPICS cubesat constellation ready for hurricane season

A quartet of cubesats launched in May to monitor the development of tropical storm systems is working just in time to support monitoring of the Atlantic hurricane season.

NASA

NASA, Rocket Lab Announce Coverage for Second TROPICS Launch

After successfully launching the first pair of small satellites earlier this month from New Zealand, NASA and Rocket Lab are now targeting no earlier than 1:30 a.m. EDT Monday, May 22 (5:30 p.m. NZST), to launch the second pair of storm tr…

NASA

NASA, Rocket Lab Launch First Pair of Storm Observing CubeSats

Two NASA CubeSats designed to study tropical cyclones, including hurricanes and typhoons, successfully launched at 1 p.m. Monday NZST (9 p.m. EDT Sunday).

NASASpaceflight

Rocket Lab launches NASA’s TROPICS satellites from New Zealand

NASA’s Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation structure and storm Intensity with a Constellation of Smallsats (TROPICS) constellation, having switched launch vehicles after losing two satellites aboard an Astra Rocket 3.3 last year, h…

Onenui Station, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand

Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B


Long March 2
Success
9 hours, 19 minutes ago
MisrSat-2
Launch Area 4 (SLS-2 / 603) - Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

MisrSat-2 is an Earth observation satellite for the Egyptian Space Agency built by China, with participation from Egyptian engineers and scientists o…


Falcon 9
Success
1 day, 9 hours ago
Starlink Group 6-31
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
2 days, 19 hours ago
425 Project Flight 1 & rideshare
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

Note: Name of payload is provisional. First launch of an ultimately 5 reconnaissance satellites for the South Korean Defense Acquisition Program A…


Soyuz 2.1a
Success
3 days, 4 hours ago
Progress MS-25 (86P)
31/6 - Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan

Progress resupply mission to the International Space Station.


Falcon 9
Success
6 days, 9 hours ago
Starlink Group 6-30
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.


Soyuz 2.1b
Success
1 week, 1 day ago
Razdan No. 1?
43/4 (43R) - Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation

Note: Payload identity and Cosmos series number uncertain. The Razdan satellite is reportedly a new electro-optical reconnaissance satellite desi…


Long March 2D/YZ-3
Success
1 week, 4 days ago
3 x SatNet test satellites
Launch Complex 3 (LC-3/LA-1) - Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Officially described as "Satellite-Internet Technology Demonstration Satellite(s)" built by Chinese Academy of Sciences. Probable 3 (?) test satellit…


Falcon 9
Success
1 week, 5 days ago
Starlink Group 6-29
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.


Chollima-1
Success
1 week, 5 days ago
Malligyong-1c
Malligyong-1 Pad - Sohae Satellite Launching Station, Cholsan County, North Pyongan Province, Democratic People's Republic of Korea

Malligyong-1c (meaning "Telescope-1") is the third attempt by North Korea to launch a satellite officially declared to be for military reconnaissance…


Falcon 9
Success
2 weeks ago
Starlink Group 7-7
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 22 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.