Watch the Launch

Additional Media

Rocket Lab Debut Launch from LC-2 - 'Virginia Is For Launch Lovers'


Virginia is for Launch Lovers (Hawk 6A-C)

Circle Image

Overview

Destination: Low Earth Orbit
Mission: Dedicated Rideshare

Low Earth Orbit Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2 (Launch Area 0 C) Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia, USA Probability: 85%
33 - Atlantic Ocean

Rideshare mission with 3 HawkEye 360 satellites.

Telemetry

Launch trajectory and telemetry simulations provided by Flight Club - a rocket launch simulator and orbital trajectory visualiser for all things space!

Updates

SwGustav • Jan. 25, 2023, 12:36 a.m.

Success confirmed


SwGustav • Jan. 24, 2023, 11 p.m.

Liftoff


SwGustav • Jan. 24, 2023, 10:45 p.m.

Coverage live


scottm3 • Jan. 23, 2023, 2:31 a.m.

24 hour delay due to weather.


Cosmic_Penguin • Jan. 21, 2023, 3:23 p.m.

Weather 85% GO


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


33


Type: Core
Flight Proven: No
First Flight: January 24, 2023
Last Flight: January 24, 2023
Flights: 1

Landing Information

Booster expended during first flight.

Core will be expended.

Rocket Lab

Rocket Lab

(RL)

CEO: Peter Beck Founded: 2006 Successes: 65 Failures: 4 Pending: 31

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

Spaceflight Now

Rocket Lab primed for busy year after first launch from Virginia

Rocket Lab’s first mission from a launch pad in Virginia delivered three small commercial satellites into orbit Tuesday night, starting what the company hopes will be a banner year with at least 15 flights from the new U.S. launch site and…

CNBC

Rocket Lab establishes new U.S. foothold with successful launch after years of delays

Rocket Lab’s first U.S. launch got off the ground Tuesday evening, marking a successful mission and a long-awaited expansion of the company’s capabilities.

Spaceflight Now

Another countdown begins for Rocket Lab’s first launch from Virginia

Rocket Lab is set to fill up its small Electron launcher with propellant fire it into space from Virginia Tuesday evening with three commercial satellites, the company’s second try to launch its first mission from U.S. soil after bad weath…

SpaceNews

Rocket Lab launches first Electron from Virginia

Rocket Lab performed its long-awaited first Electron launch from Virginia Jan. 24, placing three HawkEye 360 satellites into orbit.

NASASpaceflight

Rocket Lab conducts first Electron launch from American soil

Rocket Lab, which has operated its Electron small-satellite launcher successfully from New Zealand since 2017, as now inaugurated its first US-based launch site. After weather and paperwork-related delays, the mission named “Virginia Is Fo…

Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia, USA

Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2 (Launch Area 0 C)


Smart Dragon 3
Success
2 days, 7 hours ago
Geely Constellation Group 04
Oriental Spaceport mobile launch ship - Sea Launch

11 LEO communications satellites for Chinese car manufacturer Geely Automotive for testing autonomous driving/inter-vehicle communication services. T…


Electron
Success
5 days, 19 hours ago
The Harvest Goddess Thrives (iQPS Launch 4)
Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B - Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand

Synthetic aperture radar Earth observation satellite for Japanese Earth imaging company iQPS.


Long March 12
Success
6 days, 13 hours ago
SatNet LEO Group 07
Commercial LC-2 - Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China

A batch of 9 Low Earth Orbit communication satellites for the Chinese state owned SatNet constellation operated by the China Satellite Network Group.…


Falcon 9
Success
6 days, 16 hours ago
Starlink Group 10-30
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

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


New Shepard
Success
1 week ago
NS-34
West Texas Suborbital Launch Site/ Corn Ranch - Corn Ranch, Van Horn, TX, USA

NS-34 is the 14th crewed flight for the New Shepard program and the 34th in its history.


Falcon 9
Success
1 week, 2 days ago
Crew-11
Launch Complex 39A - Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

SpaceX Crew-11 is the eleventh crewed operational flight of a Crew Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station as part of NASA's Commercial …


Falcon 9
Success
1 week, 3 days ago
Starlink Group 13-4
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 19 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Kuaizhou
Success
1 week, 3 days ago
PRSC-S1
Mobile Launcher Pad - Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Chinese built Earth observation satellite for Pakistan’s SUPARCO (Space & Upper Atmosphere Research Commission).


GSLV Mk II
Success
1 week, 4 days ago
NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar)
Satish Dhawan Space Centre Second Launch Pad - Satish Dhawan Space Centre, India

The NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar, or NISAR satellite, will use advanced radar imaging to map the elevation of Earth's land and ice masses 4 to …


Long March 8A
Success
1 week, 4 days ago
SatNet LEO Group 06
Commercial LC-1 - Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China

A batch of 9 Low Earth Orbit communication satellites for the Chinese state owned SatNet constellation operated by the China Satellite Network Group.…