Rocket Lab USA has once again proven its expertise in the space industry by successfully launching its 52nd Electron rocket, delivering a single satellite into low Earth orbit for Capella Space. This mission is part of a larger contract between Rocket Lab and Capella Space to deploy a series of Acadia satellites for Capella’s Earth-imaging constellation.
The mission, cleverly named ‘A Sky Full of SARs,’ took off at 01:18 AM New Zealand Standard Time on Aug. 12th from Rocket Lab’s private orbital launch site on the Mahia Peninsula. The satellite was deployed to a mid-inclination 615 km low Earth orbit, showcasing Capella’s synthetic aperture radar (SAR) capabilities.
Not only did Rocket Lab provide the launch service, but they also offered a custom extended fairing on Electron to accommodate the payload. The satellite was deployed to space using a Rocket Lab-produced separation system.
This successful mission marks the fifth launch for Capella, following previous missions like ‘I Can’t Believe It’s Not Optical’ and ‘Stronger Together.’ Peter Beck, Rocket Lab’s founder and CEO, expressed his pride in the team’s accomplishments and highlighted the continued success of Electron in supporting satellite operators like Capella.
Rocket Lab’s busy launch schedule includes upcoming missions with Japanese Earth observation company Synspective, as well as contracts with BlackSky and Kineis for later this year.
Stay tuned for updates on Rocket Lab’s next Electron mission and follow us on Twitter @IoTNow_ for the latest news in the IoT industry. Visit our homepage IoT Now for more cutting-edge technology updates.