Rocket Lab Electron Beginning Of The Swarm (ACS3 & NeonSat-1)
Electron
Status
Success
Date
23 APR 2024
22:32
Launch Provider
Rocket Lab
Launch Pad
Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B
Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
Mission Overview
NASA's Advanced Composite Solar Sail System (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.
Rocket
Electron
Mission Type
Dedicated Rideshare
Orbit
Sun-Synchronous Orbit
Stages
3
Livestream
Rocket Details
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.
Height
18 m
Diameter
1.2 m
Launch Mass
13 T
Thrust
162 kN
