Family-level launch record combining canonical variants, historical missions, public cadence forecasts, and available payload performance specs.
Historical missions are grouped by actual launch year. Forecast cadence uses family-level launch-rate rows.
| Year | Historical missions | Forecast launches |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 6 | 0 |
| 2020 | 7 | 0 |
| 2021 | 6 | 0 |
| 2022 | 9 | 0 |
| 2023 | 9 | 0 |
| 2024 | 14 | 0 |
| 2025 | 18 | 0 |
| 2026 | 8 | 22 |
| 2027 | 0 | 23 |
| 2028 | 0 | 26 |
| 2029 | 0 | 29 |
| 2030 | 0 | 30 |
| 2031 | 0 | 30 |
| 2032 | 0 | 30 |
| 2033 | 0 | 30 |
| 2034 | 0 | 30 |
| 2035 | 0 | 30 |
Payload capacity by variant and target orbit when structured capacity rows are available.
| Variant | Orbit | Capacity | Altitude | Inclination | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Electron | LEO | 300 kg | Unknown | Unknown | Rocket Lab Electron vehicle page |
Electron | SSO | 200 kg | 500 km | Unknown | Rocket Lab Electron Payload User's Guide |
Latest launched missions using variants in this family.
| Mission | Variant | Launch |
|---|---|---|
| VICTUS HAZE Puma Mission | Electron | Jun 19, 2026 |
| Viva La StriX | Electron | May 22, 2026 |
| Kakushin Rising | Electron | Apr 23, 2026 |
| Daughter of the Stars |
Canonical variants rolled up into this launch vehicle family.
| Variant | Stages | Missions | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
Electron | Not stated | 81 | Active |
| 2036 | 0 | 30 |
| 2037 | 0 | 30 |
| 2038 | 0 | 30 |
| 2039 | 0 | 30 |
| 2040 | 0 | 30 |
| 2041 | 0 | 30 |
3 launch locations represented.
| Year | Location | Launches | Confidence | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B, Mahia Peninsula (Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Onenui Station, Mahia Peninsula) | 10 | 75% | LC-1B doubles scheduling flexibility; modeled equal to LC-1A after mature operations. Base remains demand-constrained and far below published opportunity count. |
| 2026 | Wallops Flight Facility / MARS | Launch Complex 2 | 2 | 65% | NASA says LC-2 can support up to 12 launches/year, but U.S. Electron demand and range/customer processing likely keep practical base around 6/year by 2030. |
| 2026 | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A, Mahia Peninsula (Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Onenui Station, Mahia Peninsula) | 10 | 75% | LC-1A is modeled as half of Rocket Lab's practical Mahia cadence. Base is anchored by Rocket Lab's 21-launch 2025 record, not the theoretical 120 launch opport... |
| 2027 | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A, Mahia Peninsula (Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Onenui Station, Mahia Peninsula) | 10 | 75% | LC-1A is modeled as half of Rocket Lab's practical Mahia cadence. Base is anchored by Rocket Lab's 21-launch 2025 record, not the theoretical 120 launch opport... |
| 2027 | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B, Mahia Peninsula (Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Onenui Station, Mahia Peninsula) | 10 | 75% | LC-1B doubles scheduling flexibility; modeled equal to LC-1A after mature operations. Base remains demand-constrained and far below published opportunity count. |
| 2027 | Wallops Flight Facility / MARS | Launch Complex 2 | 3 | 65% | NASA says LC-2 can support up to 12 launches/year, but U.S. Electron demand and range/customer processing likely keep practical base around 6/year by 2030. |
| 2028 | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A, Mahia Peninsula (Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Onenui Station, Mahia Peninsula) | 11 | 75% | LC-1A is modeled as half of Rocket Lab's practical Mahia cadence. Base is anchored by Rocket Lab's 21-launch 2025 record, not the theoretical 120 launch opport... |
| 2028 | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B, Mahia Peninsula (Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Onenui Station, Mahia Peninsula) | 11 | 75% | LC-1B doubles scheduling flexibility; modeled equal to LC-1A after mature operations. Base remains demand-constrained and far below published opportunity count. |
| 2028 | Wallops Flight Facility / MARS | Launch Complex 2 | 4 | 65% | NASA says LC-2 can support up to 12 launches/year, but U.S. Electron demand and range/customer processing likely keep practical base around 6/year by 2030. |
| 2029 | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A, Mahia Peninsula (Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Onenui Station, Mahia Peninsula) | 12 | 75% | LC-1A is modeled as half of Rocket Lab's practical Mahia cadence. Base is anchored by Rocket Lab's 21-launch 2025 record, not the theoretical 120 launch opport... |
| 2029 | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B, Mahia Peninsula (Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Onenui Station, Mahia Peninsula) | 12 | 75% | LC-1B doubles scheduling flexibility; modeled equal to LC-1A after mature operations. Base remains demand-constrained and far below published opportunity count. |
| 2029 | Wallops Flight Facility / MARS | Launch Complex 2 | 5 | 65% | NASA says LC-2 can support up to 12 launches/year, but U.S. Electron demand and range/customer processing likely keep practical base around 6/year by 2030. |
| 2030 | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B, Mahia Peninsula (Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Onenui Station, Mahia Peninsula) | 12 | 75% | LC-1B doubles scheduling flexibility; modeled equal to LC-1A after mature operations. Base remains demand-constrained and far below published opportunity count. |
| 2030 | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A, Mahia Peninsula (Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Onenui Station, Mahia Peninsula) | 12 | 75% | LC-1A is modeled as half of Rocket Lab's practical Mahia cadence. Base is anchored by Rocket Lab's 21-launch 2025 record, not the theoretical 120 launch opport... |
| 2030 | Wallops Flight Facility / MARS | Launch Complex 2 | 6 | 65% | NASA says LC-2 can support up to 12 launches/year, but U.S. Electron demand and range/customer processing likely keep practical base around 6/year by 2030. |
| 2031 | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B, Mahia Peninsula (Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Onenui Station, Mahia Peninsula) | 12 | 75% | LC-1B doubles scheduling flexibility; modeled equal to LC-1A after mature operations. Base remains demand-constrained and far below published opportunity count. |
| 2031 | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A, Mahia Peninsula (Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Onenui Station, Mahia Peninsula) | 12 | 75% | LC-1A is modeled as half of Rocket Lab's practical Mahia cadence. Base is anchored by Rocket Lab's 21-launch 2025 record, not the theoretical 120 launch opport... |
| 2031 | Wallops Flight Facility / MARS | Launch Complex 2 | 6 | 65% | NASA says LC-2 can support up to 12 launches/year, but U.S. Electron demand and range/customer processing likely keep practical base around 6/year by 2030. |
| 2032 | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B, Mahia Peninsula (Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Onenui Station, Mahia Peninsula) | 12 | 75% | LC-1B doubles scheduling flexibility; modeled equal to LC-1A after mature operations. Base remains demand-constrained and far below published opportunity count. |
| 2032 | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A, Mahia Peninsula (Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Onenui Station, Mahia Peninsula) | 12 | 75% | LC-1A is modeled as half of Rocket Lab's practical Mahia cadence. Base is anchored by Rocket Lab's 21-launch 2025 record, not the theoretical 120 launch opport... |
| 2032 | Wallops Flight Facility / MARS | Launch Complex 2 | 6 | 65% | NASA says LC-2 can support up to 12 launches/year, but U.S. Electron demand and range/customer processing likely keep practical base around 6/year by 2030. |
| 2033 | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A, Mahia Peninsula (Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Onenui Station, Mahia Peninsula) | 12 | 75% | LC-1A is modeled as half of Rocket Lab's practical Mahia cadence. Base is anchored by Rocket Lab's 21-launch 2025 record, not the theoretical 120 launch opport... |
| 2033 | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B, Mahia Peninsula (Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Onenui Station, Mahia Peninsula) | 12 | 75% | LC-1B doubles scheduling flexibility; modeled equal to LC-1A after mature operations. Base remains demand-constrained and far below published opportunity count. |
| 2033 | Wallops Flight Facility / MARS | Launch Complex 2 | 6 | 65% | NASA says LC-2 can support up to 12 launches/year, but U.S. Electron demand and range/customer processing likely keep practical base around 6/year by 2030. |
LC-1B doubles scheduling flexibility; modeled equal to LC-1A after mature operations. Base remains demand-constrained and far below published opportunity count.
NASA says LC-2 can support up to 12 launches/year, but U.S. Electron demand and range/customer processing likely keep practical base around 6/year by 2030.
LC-1A is modeled as half of Rocket Lab's practical Mahia cadence. Base is anchored by Rocket Lab's 21-launch 2025 record, not the theoretical 120 launch opportunities.
LC-1A is modeled as half of Rocket Lab's practical Mahia cadence. Base is anchored by Rocket Lab's 21-launch 2025 record, not the theoretical 120 launch opportunities.
Electron |
| Mar 28, 2026 |
| Eight Days A Week | Electron | Mar 20, 2026 |
| Insight At Speed Is A... | Electron | Mar 5, 2026 |
| Bridging the Swarm | Electron | Jan 30, 2026 |
| Cosmos Will See You Now | Electron | Jan 22, 2026 |
Upcoming mission rows with announced launch timing.
| Mission | Variant | Announced |
|---|---|---|
No forecasted missionsNo upcoming announced mission rows are linked to this vehicle family. | ||
LC-1B doubles scheduling flexibility; modeled equal to LC-1A after mature operations. Base remains demand-constrained and far below published opportunity count.
NASA says LC-2 can support up to 12 launches/year, but U.S. Electron demand and range/customer processing likely keep practical base around 6/year by 2030.
LC-1A is modeled as half of Rocket Lab's practical Mahia cadence. Base is anchored by Rocket Lab's 21-launch 2025 record, not the theoretical 120 launch opportunities.
LC-1B doubles scheduling flexibility; modeled equal to LC-1A after mature operations. Base remains demand-constrained and far below published opportunity count.
NASA says LC-2 can support up to 12 launches/year, but U.S. Electron demand and range/customer processing likely keep practical base around 6/year by 2030.
LC-1A is modeled as half of Rocket Lab's practical Mahia cadence. Base is anchored by Rocket Lab's 21-launch 2025 record, not the theoretical 120 launch opportunities.
LC-1B doubles scheduling flexibility; modeled equal to LC-1A after mature operations. Base remains demand-constrained and far below published opportunity count.
NASA says LC-2 can support up to 12 launches/year, but U.S. Electron demand and range/customer processing likely keep practical base around 6/year by 2030.
Rocket Lab’s 2020-12-12 Electron mission will be a dedicated mission for Japanese company Synspective carrying the StriX-α synthetic aperture radar satellite.
Rocket Lab scheduled the next launch of its Electron small launch vehicle for a 14-day window that opens 2020-12-12 from the company’s New Zealand launch site.
Rocket Lab will incorporate improvements from the 2020-11-19 test into the next recovery test on an Electron launch scheduled for early 2021.
On 2020-11-19 the Electron first stage made a controlled reentry, released a drogue and a main parachute, and splashed down about 400 km downrange from Rocket Lab's New Zealand launch site where it was recovered by a boat.
The recovery hardware currently reduces Electron vehicle payload by about 10 kg, with an additional 5 to 10 kg reduction expected once all recovery systems are added.
Rocket Lab launched an Electron rocket on 2020-11-19.
Rocket Lab launched an Electron rocket on 2020-11-19, placing 29 smallsats into orbit.
Rocket Lab successfully launched the 16th Electron mission 'Return to Sender' on 20 November 2020 at 15:20 UTC.
Rocket Lab attempted to recover Electron’s first stage by reentering the stage, deploying a drogue and main parachute, and splashing the stage down in the Pacific Ocean about 400 km downrange from the launch site.
The Return to Sender mission deployed 30 small satellites to orbit, the largest number of satellites deployed by Electron on a single mission to date.
NASA has required certification of an autonomous flight termination system (AFTS) for Rocket Lab’s Electron launches from Wallops.
Rocket Lab’s first U.S. launch of the Electron rocket will not take place until 2021 due to problems with the flight termination system that NASA requires the rocket to use.
Rocket Lab has performed 15 launches of its Electron rocket to date with its next launch scheduled for later 2020-11.
The Kleos satellites on PSLV-C49 were originally intended to launch on a Rocket Lab Electron mission in late 2018.
After stage separation on the upcoming Electron launch, the first stage will reorient for reentry, deploy a drogue parachute and a larger main parachute, and splash down in the Pacific Ocean about 400 km from the launch site.
Rocket Lab announced its intent to recover and reuse Electron first stages in August 2019.
The Electron mission will launch from Launch Complex 1 on New Zealand’s Māhia Peninsula.
The Electron launch vehicle will loft 30 satellites to a Sun-synchronous orbit at 500 km altitude.
The Kick Stage separates after the Electron second stage reaches orbit and provides propulsion and pointing to deliver multiple satellites to precise, individual orbits.
The Electron rocket lifted off from Rocket Lab’s Mahia Peninsula launch site in New Zealand at 5:21 p.m. Eastern on 2020-10-28.