Watch the Launch

Additional Media

The Beat Goes On (BlackSky 18-19)

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
35 - South Pacific

Payload consists of 2 second generation Earth-imaging satellites for BlackSky. They are part of a constellation of 60 Low Earth Orbit Earth imaging satellites adding capacity to the company’s real-time geospatial intelligence and monitoring capabilities.

Updates

Cosmic_Penguin • March 24, 2023, 11 a.m.

Launch success.


Cosmic_Penguin • March 24, 2023, 9:15 a.m.

Liftoff


Cosmic_Penguin • March 24, 2023, 8:06 a.m.

Resume count.


Cosmic_Penguin • March 24, 2023, 7:39 a.m.

Holding for space weather review.


Cosmic_Penguin • March 24, 2023, 4:33 a.m.

T-0 adjustment.


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


35

Status: Retired


Type: Core
Flight Proven: No
First Flight: March 24, 2023
Last Flight: March 24, 2023
Flights: 1
Landings Attempted: 1
Landings Successful: 1

Landing Information

Rocket Lab has successfully recovered the Electron booster after a soft parachute splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.

Result: Successful Parachute Landing landing at South Pacific.

Rocket Lab

Rocket Lab

(RL)

CEO: Peter Beck Founded: 2006 Successes: 72 Failures: 4 Pending: 44

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

NASASpaceflight

Rocket Lab launches BlackSky sats, tests Electron ocean recovery

After successfully conducting back-to-back flights from their recently-inaugurated US launch site, Rocket Lab returned to New Zealand for its second mission in March. Liftoff of “The Beat Goes On” mission took place on Friday, March 24 at …

Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand

Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B


Falcon 9
Success
2 days, 6 hours ago
Starlink Group 11-30
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 28 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Falcon 9
Success
3 days, 7 hours ago
Starlink Group 6-79
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.


Long March 3
Success
4 days, 4 hours ago
TJSW-21
Launch Complex 2 (LC-2) - Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Chinese classified satellite claimed to be for communication technology test purposes. Actual mission not known.


Falcon 9
Success
4 days, 11 hours ago
Starlink Group 6-78
Launch Complex 39A - Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

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


Electron
Success
5 days, 2 hours ago
Follow My Speed (BlackSky Gen-3 3)
Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A - Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand

Note: Payload and customer identities were not publicly annouced, identification is per USSF orbital data. 3rd of the BlackSky Gen-3 high resoluti…


Long March 2
Success
6 days, 11 hours ago
Shijian 30 A-C
Launch Area 4 (SLS-2 / 603) - Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

3 Chinese satellites described as for “Space Environment Measurements” purposes. Actual usage not known.


Falcon 9
Success
6 days, 14 hours ago
Starlink Group 6-94
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.


Electron
Success
1 week ago
Prometheus Run (VAN)
Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2 (Launch Area 0 C) - Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia, USA

Sub-orbital launch under Rocket Lab’s Hypersonic Accelerator Suborbital Test Electron (HASTE) program. This mission was lead by MDA and deployed a…


Falcon 9
Success
1 week, 1 day ago
Sentinel-6B
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

The Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich (launched November 2020) and Sentinel-6B make up the Sentinel-6 mission, also known as Jason Continuity of Service (…


Falcon 9
Success
1 week, 3 days ago
Starlink Group 6-85
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.