Rocket Lab is preparing to launch its workhorse Electron rocket for the 50th prison term .
The 18 - metre - grandiloquent , two - stage roquette first flew in May 2017 and last launch on June 5 , with most of its missions deploying small satellite for a range of commercial customers . The milestone mission is the first of five dedicated launch that will deploy a 25 - satellite constellation for French internet of things ( IoT ) caller Kinéis .
The launch of theNo Time Toulousemission from Rocket Lab ’s Launch Complex 1 in Mahia , New Zealand , is presently set for 6:13 a.m. local time on Friday , June 21 ( 2:13 p.m. ET on Thursday , June 20 ) .
The delegacy was opine to get underway on Wednesday local meter , but unfavorable weather conditions ram the mission team to reschedule . Other launch chance are useable over the next 10 days should the weather condition decline to play ball .
Rocket Lab is clearly excited at the prospect of look on its Electron rocket climbing skywards for the fiftieth sentence . “ Making it to your first launch is not a given , so reaching 50 Electron launches is an enormous achievement and a uncommon effort in the chronicle of spaceflight , ” Rocket Lab founder and CEO Sir Peter Becksaid in a poston the company ’s web site . “ I ’m immensely majestic of the squad for bringing an industry - defining rocket to market , making frequent and reliable dedicated small launch a world for the first time . ”
He also thanked Rocket Lab client “ for help oneself us to make Electron one of the most oftentimes set up rockets of all time . ”
Kinéis , the client for Electron ’s 50th flight , is plunk for by private and public investor that include the French government ’s place authority CNES ( Centre National d’Études Spatiales ) and CLS ( Collecte Localisation Satellites ) , an outside blank - base solutions provider .
Rocket Lab is continuing to cement its presence in the satellite - deployment sphere , competing with SpaceX ’s rideshare inspection and repair involve its trustworthy Falcon 9 Eruca vesicaria sativa . As part of enlargement efforts , Rocket Labbegan establish from U.S. soilin January 2023 , and is also build up a more brawny next - generation arugula , called Neutron , that will be capable of carrying humans .
Folks concerned in ascertain the Electon ’s 50th flight of stairs can do so via the player embed at the top of this varlet . insurance coverage will begin at 5:15 a.m. local time on Friday , June 21 ( 1:15 p.m. ET on Thursday , June 20 ) , which is about an hour before launch . Be sure to check outRocket Lab ’s social media feedfor confirmation of the launch time , as the weather in the sphere is reportedly still a number uncertain .
