Electron | The Moon God Awakens (QPS-SAR-5)
Launch Successful
L - -- : -- : -- : --
Launch Window
Dec. 15, 2023, 4 a.m. - Dec. 15, 2023, 6 a.m.
Dec. 15, 2023, 4 a.m. - Dec. 15, 2023, 6 a.m.
QPS-SAR-5 is a synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) satellite that will join a constellation after QPS-SAR-6 already in orbit. iQPS’s satellites are small, high-performance SAR satellites that use a lightweight, large, stowable antenna to collect high resolution images of Earth, even through clouds and adverse weather conditions.
Launch success w/ main payload in contact.
Liftoff.
Count resumed.
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
Booster was expended on its first flight.
Core will be expended.
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
Rocket Lab successfully launched a Japanese radar imaging satellite on the first flight of its Electron rocket since a failure nearly three months ago.
SpaceX has yet another busy week of launches this week, with Rocket Lab, Russia, and China also launching rockets. SpaceX is attempting to launch Falcon 9’s from both the Cape and Vanderberg with Starlink missions.
Rocket Lab is pushing to get its launch business back on track by the end of the year, reporting on Wednesday third-quarter results that saw continued strength in its space systems division.
Rocket Lab expects to resume Electron launches in late November after concluding a “largely improbable” combination of events caused the vehicle’s previous launch to fail.
A Japanese firm developing a constellation of SAR satellites is the latest to turn to Rocket Lab after the bankruptcy of rival launch company Virgin Orbit.
Seventh crewed flight to the Chinese space station.
NASA's Advanced Composite Solar Sail System (ACS3) is a technology demonstration mission tasked with deploying a composite boom solar sail. NeonSa…
A batch of 23 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.
The Yaogan 42-02 is a Chinese military “remote sensing” satellite of unknown purposes.
A batch of satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.
A batch of 23 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.
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…
A batch of 23 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.
First Weather System Follow-on (WSF) satellite. WSF-M (Weather System Follow-on - Microwave) is the next-generation operational environmental sate…
First test launch of the Angara A5 launch vehicle from the Vostochny Cosmodrome. The rocket will carry a mass simulator payload.