Rocket Lab is an end-to-end space company and launch service provider, specializing in small satellite launches with its Electron rocket, which has launched 63 times as of April 2025. They are also developing the larger Neutron rocket for constellation deployment. Rocket Lab provides complete space solutions including satellite design and manufacture, spacecraft components, and on-orbit management, serving commercial, civil, and defense markets, with major partners including NASA and the US Space Force. Key products include the Electron and Neutron rockets, Photon satellite bus, and various satellite components.
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The "On Closer Inspection" mission launched from Pad B at Rocket Lab’s Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand at 03:52 NZDT on 2024-02-19 (14:52 UTC on 2024-02-18).
Rocket Lab received the final perigee, apogee, and inclination targets from Astroscale 20 days before launch.
Rocket Lab USA built and operates the satellite currently hosting Varda Space Industries' in-space manufacturing capsule on orbit.
On the evening of 2024-02-18 PT, Rocket Lab’s spacecraft will perform an initial Curie engine burn to slow the spacecraft, lower its perigee, and place Winnebago-1 into a 300 km x 500 km staging orbit.
Rocket Lab will commence a series of complex in-space maneuvers and de-orbit burns on the Rocket Lab-built satellite hosting Winnebago-1.
The second Rocket Lab spacecraft for Varda has completed assembly, integration, and testing at Rocket Lab’s spacecraft production facility in Long Beach, California and is scheduled to launch in the coming months.
On the afternoon of 2024-02-20 PT, Rocket Lab’s spacecraft will perform a second engine burn to raise apogee and place Winnebago-1 into a 300 km x 900 km staging orbit.
On the afternoon of 2024-02-21 PT, Rocket Lab’s spacecraft will perform third and fourth engine burns to de-orbit and set Winnebago-1 on its atmospheric reentry trajectory.
The initial planned reentry date for Winnebago-1 was in late 2023, requiring Rocket Lab’s spacecraft to operate for more than double its intended orbital lifespan due to the schedule adjustment.
The W-Series 1 mission performed experiments to test the production of crystals in microgravity and returned the results in a capsule attached to a Rocket Lab–produced spacecraft.
Rocket Lab received final perigee, apogee, and inclination values from Astroscale 20 days before launch.
Rocket Lab set a 14-day launch window for the On Closer Inspection mission that opens on 2024-02-19 NZDT.
ADRAS-J was shipped from Astroscale Japan’s headquarters in Tokyo in October 2023 for final launch preparations at Rocket Lab’s facilities.
Rocket Lab set a 14-day launch window for the On Closer Inspection mission that opens on 2024-02-19 NZDT.
Rocket Lab received the final perigee, apogee, and inclination targets from Astroscale 20 days before the launch.
The 'Four Of A Kind' mission launched from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand at 19:34 NZDT / 06:34 UTC.
Rocket Lab is scheduled to launch more missions in 2024 than in any previous year since the company began missions in 2017.
Rocket Lab launched the company’s first Electron mission for 2024 on a space-junk focused mission for Spire Global and NorthStar Earth & Space.
The Four Of A Kind mission launched from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand at 19:34 NZDT / 06:34 UTC.
Rocket Lab is scheduled to launch more missions in 2024 than in any previous year since the company began missions in 2017.