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Get The Hawk Outta Here (4x HawkEye 360)

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Overview

Destination: Low Earth Orbit
Mission: Earth Science

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

HawkEye 360 is a a space-based civil global intelligence satellite network using radio frequency (RF) technology to help monitor transportation across air, land and sea and assist with emergencies, and to provide civil SIGINT (Signal Intelligence) mission. The constellation of small satellites (named Hawk) will collect information on specific radio signals worldwide to provide high-precision radio frequency mapping and analytics from Low Earth orbit (LEO). 3 of the satellites will comprise HawkEye 360’s Cluster 12 and will operate in a dawn-to-dusk polar orbit, while the 4th is Kestrel-0A, an experimental satellite designed to evaluate emerging capabilities and future technology enhancements.

Updates

Cosmic_Penguin • June 27, 2025, 12:57 a.m.

Launch success.


Cosmic_Penguin • June 26, 2025, 6:25 p.m.

Payload separation complete.


hitura-nobad • June 26, 2025, 5:28 p.m.

Liftoff!


LL2 • June 26, 2025, 5:08 p.m.

Official Webcast by Rocket Lab has started


Cosmic_Penguin • June 26, 2025, 3:12 p.m.

New T-0.


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

Rocket Lab

Rocket Lab

(RL)

CEO: Peter Beck Founded: 2006 Successes: 95 Failures: 4 Pending: 59

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
Arstechnica

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"We will be able to industrialize Zephyr production up to 50 units per year."

SpaceNews

Rocket Lab launches HawkEye 360 satellites

Rocket Lab launched a set of satellites for HawkEye 360 June 26 in the first of back-to-back launches from its New Zealand launch site. The post Rocket Lab launches HawkEye 360 satellites appeared first on SpaceNews.

SpaceNews

Rocket Lab to launch HawkEye 360 satellites on first Wallops Electron mission

The long-delayed first launch of a Rocket Lab Electron rocket from Virginia is now scheduled for late this year, carrying satellites for HawkEye 360.

Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand

Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A


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