Rocket Lab is getting ready for another launch with a 3-day window next week. This will be the launch of a dedicated commercial mission from Launch Complex 1 on New Zealand’s Māhia Peninsula.
The launch window opens August 27 UTC with daily launch opportunities between 03:05 – 07:05 UTC (20:05 – 12: 05 PT / 23:05 – 03:05 ET).
“Electron was designed for missions like this, where a small sat operator needs to go to a precise orbit at just the right time. It’s a level of control over orbit and launch schedule that rideshare just can’t deliver. We’re proud to provide a tailored mission solution on Electron for this commercial mission partner,” said Peter Beck, founder and CEO of Rocket Lab.
Rocket Lab is returning to the pad less than eight weeks after the company experienced an in-flight anomaly on July 4, 2020. Following an extensive investigation with support from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Rocket Lab identified an anomalous electrical connection as the cause of the issue and corrective measures are now in place. More information about the investigation can be found here:
Rocket Lab will not be conducting any testing of its stage 1 recovery systems during this launch. The next mission slated to demonstrate recovery systems will be Rocket Lab’s 17th Electron launch, targeted for Q4 2020 from Launch Complex 1.