Watch the Launch

Watch the Launch

Ready, Aim, PREFIRE (PREFIRE 1)

Circle Image

Overview

Destination: Polar Orbit
Mission: Earth Science

Polar Orbit Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand Probability: 70%

First 6U Cubesat carrying a miniaturized IR spectrometer, covering 0- 45 μm at 0.84 μm spectral resolution, operating for one seasonal cycle for NASAs PREFIRE (Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment) mission.

Updates

Cosmic_Penguin • May 25, 2024, 2:20 p.m.

Satellite in contact.


Cosmic_Penguin • May 25, 2024, 8:47 a.m.

Satellite deployed.


hitura-nobad • May 25, 2024, 7:42 a.m.

Liftoff


hitura-nobad • May 25, 2024, 7:30 a.m.

Hold released


hitura-nobad • May 25, 2024, 7:19 a.m.

Hold due to ground wind limit violation


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
Teslarati

Rocket Lab launches first of back-to-back missions for NASA

Rocket Lab launched the Ready, Aim, PREFIRE mission for NASA over the weekend from Launch Complex 1 on the Mahia Peninsula in...

SpaceNews

Electron launches first NASA PREFIRE Earth science cubesat

Rocket Lab launched the first of two NASA Earth science cubesats on an Electron rocket May 25, exactly seven years after the company’s first launch.

SpaceNews

NASA prepares for twin launches of climate science cubesats

NASA is gearing up for back-to-back launches of cubesats designed to provide key data for improving models of the Earth’s climate.

Teslarati

Rocket Lab prepares for back-to-back launches for NASA

Rocket Lab is preparing for back-to-back missions for NASA, which will see them launch twice within three weeks from Launch Complex 1...

NASA

NASA Announces Launch Service for Arctic Warming Experiment

NASA has selected Rocket Lab USA Inc. of Long Beach, California, to provide the launch service for the agency’s PREFIRE (Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment) mission, which aims to give researchers a more accurate picture o…

Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand

Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B


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