UPDATE (Dec. 11): Rocket Lab has delayed the launch of its Electron rocket from Wallops Island again. The mission, which was initially set to launch Dec. 7 but pushed back twice, is now scheduled for no earlier than Thursday, Dec. 15, due to “range availability,” a Rocket Lab statement said Sunday. The launch window remains 6-8 p.m. In a separate statement, NASA said it “continues to work with the FAA in scheduling the airspace and providing final required safety documentation prior to supporting launch.”
UPDATE: Rocket Lab’s first launch of its Electron rocket from Wallops has been pushed back a second time. After an initial date of Dec. 7, the mission was moved to Dec. 9. Now due to weather, the mission is scheduled for Dec. 13; this will be an evening launch with a window of 6-8 p.m. The launch date window remains open through Dec. 20.
Rocket Lab’s inaugural launch from NASA Wallops Flight Facility for its Electron mission is planned for Dec. 7.
The mission, named “Virginia is for Launch Lovers,” will deploy satellites for leading radio frequency geospatial analytics provider HawkEye 360. It will be Rocket Lab’s first liftoff from Launch Complex 2 at Virginia Space’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport within NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility. The launch pad was developed to support Electron missions from U.S. soil for government and commercial customers.
“For our fifth cluster of next-generation satellites, we needed optimal orbital flexibility — and Rocket Lab’s new Electron launch pad in Wallops, Virginia provides the perfect domestic capability,” said CEO of HawkEye 360, John Serafini. “Rocket Lab’s inaugural launch facilitates our first mid-latitude satellite cluster, which will strengthen the diversity of our geospatial insights for our government and commercial customers across the globe.”
The launch window has been set following recent progress by NASA in certifying its Autonomous Flight Termination Unit, or NAFTU, software, which is required to enable Electron launches from Virginia.
Rocket Lab had previously said a second Electron rocket launch is targeted for January 2023.
What is the Electron rocket?
Launch Complex 2 supplements Rocket Lab’s existing site, Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand, from which 31 Electron missions have already launched. According to Rocket Lab, Electron is the most frequently launched small orbital rocket globally. With two launch complexes combined, Rocket Lab can support more than 130 launch opportunities every year, with flexibility for rapid, responsive launch for government and commercial satellite operators.
The rocket stands at 59 feet high and can carry a payload of 661 pounds, according to the company’s website.
“Electron is well established as the leader in small launch, reliably serving the responsive space needs of the commercial, civil, DoD and national security markets alike,” said Rocket Lab founder and CEO Peter Beck. “With our inaugural mission from Launch Complex 2, we are immensely proud to expand on this strong launch heritage by enabling a new capability for the nation from Virginian soil. ”
How do I watch the launch?
The Electron rocket launch can be viewed from Chincoteague Island including Robert Reed Park on Main Street or Beach Road spanning the area between Chincoteague and Assateague Islands. The Virginia, Maryland and Delaware Atlantic beaches also provide good viewing locations. The NASA Visitor Center at Wallops will be open for this launch. A live launch webcast will also be available at www.rocketlabusa.com/live-stream from around T-40 minutes.
What’s next for Rocket Lab at Wallops?
This mission will be the first of three Electron launches for HawkEye 360 in a contract that will see Rocket Lab deliver 15 satellites to low Earth orbit between late 2022 and 2024. These missions will grow HawkEye 360’s constellation of radio frequency monitoring satellites, enabling the company to better deliver precise geolocation of radio frequency emissions anywhere in the world.
Supporting Rocket Lab’s vertical integration strategy, Rocket Lab will also supply HawkEye 360 with separation systems produced by Planetary Systems Corporation, a Maryland-based space hardware company acquired by Rocket Lab in December 2021.
RELATED:Wallops Flight Facility readies for satellite launch as Electron rocket arrives
The launch pad and production complex for Rocket Lab’s large reusable Neutron launch vehicle will also be located at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, streamlining operations across small and large launch. The manufacturing center could create up to 250 jobs in the area.
