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Rocket Lab - 'There And Back Again' Launch

The “There And Back Again” mission will see Electron deploy 34 satellites to a sun synchronous orbit for a variety of customers including Alba Orbital, Astri...

There And Back Again

Launching from Pad A at Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 on New Zealand’s Mahia Peninsula, the “There And Back Again” mission will be Rocket Lab’s 26th Electron launch.

There and Back Again (Rideshare)

Circle Image

Overview

Destination: Sun-Synchronous Orbit
Mission: Dedicated Rideshare

Sun-Synchronous Orbit Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
26 - South Pacific

Commercial rideshare mission including payloads for Alba Orbital, Astrix Astronautics, Aurora Propulsion Technologies, E-Space, Spaceflight Inc, Swarm Technologies and UNSEENLABS.

Updates

Jay • May 3, 2022, 12:11 a.m.

All payloads deployed successfully


Jay • May 2, 2022, 10:50 p.m.

Liftoff


Nosu • May 2, 2022, 7:45 p.m.

Updating T-0


SwGustav • April 30, 2022, 9:37 p.m.

Delayed by another day due to weather


Jay • April 29, 2022, 6:44 p.m.

Delayed to May 1st UTC due to weather


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


26


Type: Core
Flight Proven: No
First Flight: May 2, 2022
Last Flight: May 2, 2022
Flights: 1
Landings Attempted: 1

Landing Information

Rocket lab successfully caught the Electron first stage, however due to different load characteristics than were experienced during testing the pilot dropped the stage at his discretion to complete a successful splashdown.

Result: 26 did not land successfully.

Rocket Lab

Rocket Lab

(RL)

CEO: Peter Beck Founded: 2006 Successes: 64 Failures: 4 Pending: 32

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

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Rocket Lab briefly catches booster in mid-air after successful launch

Rocket Lab used a helicopter to capture a spent Electron first stage booster and its parachute after launching satellites from New Zealand Monday, a significant step forward for the company’s rocket recovery and reuse program. The helicopt…

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Rocket Lab catches a 1-ton booster falling back from space

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Rocket Lab briefly catches Electron booster with a helicopter on first try

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Rocket Lab launches smallsats, catches but drops booster

Rocket Lab declared success in its effort to catch an Electron booster in midair after launch May 2, even though the helicopter had to release the booster moments later.

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Rocket Lab makes first booster catch attempt during successful There And Back Again mission

After announcing plans to recover and reuse the first stage of the company’s Electron rocket back in 2019, the California-based rocket company has attempted a mid-air recovery for the very first time. After a successful mid-air catch, the …

Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand

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