MISSION NAME
ACS3 & others
Status
TBD
DATE
30 APR 2024
LAUNCH PROVIDER
Rocket Lab
Launch Pad
Unknown Pad
Description
This rideshare flight carries several payloads, including NASA's Advanced Composite Solar Sail System (ACS3). ACS3 is a technology demonstration mission tasked with deploying a composite boom solar sail. NeonSat-1 is a high-resolution optical satellite by South Korea's KAIST that will be deployed as a technology demonstration for a planned future Earth observation constellation.
Electron
Rocket Description
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.