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Electron: Ready, Aim, PREFIRE (PREFIRE 1)

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.

Saturday, 25 May 202407:41 UTC
Electron: Ready, Aim, PREFIRE (PREFIRE 1)

Mission Data

Rocket Lab
🇺🇸Rocket LabEst. 2006
Launch VehicleElectron
Vehicle Record95 of 99 launches (96%)
Provider TypeCommercial
Agency Record95 successes / 4 failures (96%)
Success Streak58 consecutive
Mission TypeEarth Science
Target OrbitPolar Orbit
Launch PadRocket Lab Launch Complex 1B
Location🇳🇿 Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand NZL
Orbital Launches This Year#100
Agency Launches This Year#6
Launches From This Pad41
Launches From This Site86
Status Note

The launch vehicle successfully inserted its payload(s) into the target orbit(s).

About Electron

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.

Launch updates

  1. Satellite in contact.

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  2. Satellite deployed.

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  3. Liftoff

  4. Hold released

  5. Hold due to ground wind limit violation

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  6. Official Webcast by Rocket Lab has started

  7. New T-0 07:28 UTC

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  8. Updated launch weather.

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  9. Delayed to May 25 due to weather.

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  10. Changed launch pad.

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Launch Site

Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B · 39.2628°S 177.8645°E

Launch data from Launch Library 2 by The Space Devs.