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The Owl Spreads Its Wings (StriX 1)

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Overview

Destination: Sun-Synchronous Orbit
Mission: Earth Science

Sun-Synchronous Orbit Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand Probability: 80%
30 - South Pacific

Second of three launches of a StriX satellite as part of Synspective’s SAR constellation. StriX-1 can gather high resolution Earth observation data regardless of conditions or daylight, offering a resilient and effective resource for the purposes of urban development, infrastructure monitoring, and disaster response.

Telemetry

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

Updates

Nosu • Sept. 15, 2022, 9:43 p.m.

Successful launch


Nosu • Sept. 15, 2022, 8:38 p.m.

Liftoff


Nosu • Sept. 15, 2022, 8:20 p.m.

Updating to an instantaneous launch window


Nosu • Sept. 15, 2022, 8:18 p.m.

Weather 80%


Nosu • Sept. 15, 2022, 8:09 p.m.

Webcast live


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


30


Type: Core
Flight Proven: No
First Flight: September 15, 2022
Last Flight: September 15, 2022
Flights: 1

Landing Information

Booster was expended during its first launch.

Core will be expended.

Rocket Lab

Rocket Lab

(RL)

CEO: Peter Beck Founded: 2006 Successes: 92 Failures: 4 Pending: 42

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
Spaceflight Now

Rocket Lab’s 30th mission delivers Japanese radar satellite into orbit

Rocket Lab’s 30th mission delivered the StriX 1 radar imaging satellite into orbit for the Japanese Earth observation company Synspective, beginning the deployment of a constellation of 30 commercial radar satellites planned over the next …

SpaceNews

Rocket Lab launches Japanese radar imaging satellite on 30th Electron mission

Rocket Lab successfully launched a Japanese radar imaging satellite Sept. 15 as the company prepares for another attempt to recover and reuse a booster.

NASASpaceflight

Rocket Lab launches “The Owl Spreads Its Wings” mission

Rocket Lab has made the company and the Electron rocket’s 30th flight. “The Owl Spreads Its Wings,” the company’s third dedicated flight for Japanese company Synspective, launched to Sun-synchronous orbit (SSO) on Thursday, Sept. 15, lifti…

Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand

Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B


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