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NASA ELaNa-19

The ELaNa-19 mission for NASA (Educational Launch of Nanosatellites 19) was Rocket Lab’s fourth Electron launch and the company’s first mission for NASA. The mission saw Rocket Lab’s Electron launch vehicle loft 13 CubeSats to low Earth orbit.

This One's For Pickering (VCLS ELaNa XIX)

Overview

Destination: Low Earth Orbit
Mission: Dedicated Rideshare

Low Earth Orbit Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand #ELaNa19

NASA's signed a Venture Class Launch Services contract with Rocket Lab to launch 10 cubesats as a part of CubeSat Launch Initiative Educational Launch of Nanosatellites (ELaNa) program. Cubesats are: ALBus / CeREs / CHOMPTT / Da Vinci / ISX / NMTSat / RSat-P / Shields 1 / STF 1 / CubeSail A / CubeSail B /TOMSat EagleScout / TOMSat R3 / SHFT 1

Electron

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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
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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

Rocket Lab

(RL)

CEO: Peter Beck Founded: 2006 Successes: 78 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.

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