Rocket Lab Announces Launch Window for Second Electron Mission from Virginia

Rocket Lab Announces Launch Window for Second Electron Mission from Virginia

Rocket Lab USA, one of the leading launch and space systems companies, announced it has scheduled its next Electron launch from Virginia during a launch window that opens March 11, 2023.

The “Stronger Together” mission is scheduled to launch from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2 (LC-2) on Wallops Island, Virginia for American space tech company Capella Space, a leading provider of commercial Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery. The mission will be Rocket Lab’s second launch from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility following the Company’s successful inaugural mission from LC-2 on January 24, 2023.

“Stronger Together” will deploy two 100-kg class satellites to low Earth orbit and expand the existing Capella Space SAR constellation, increasing imaging capacity to meet growing customer demand. Capella Space SAR satellites can gather images of Earth at any time of day, in any weather, and penetrate conditions including clouds, fog, smog, darkness, and smoke. Supporting Rocket Lab’s vertical integration strategy, Rocket Lab will also supply Capella Space with two of the Company’s own Motorized Lightbands; separation systems designed to separate the Capella satellites from Electron once in orbit. Rocket Lab has launched for Capella previously with the “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Optical” mission in August 2020, when Electron successfully deployed to orbit Capella’s first satellite in its SAR constellation.

This upcoming launch is one of five missions for Capella Space scheduled to start launching on Electron this year, following the recently-announced multi-launch deal securing four rapid succession launches for Capella from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand. However, there is the option for Capella to move any of these missions to Launch Complex 2 should that be needed to meet Capella’s requirements – the type of responsive and flexible launch solution that Rocket Lab can provide by operating three orbital launch pads across two continents.

Members of the public wanting to watch Electron’s upcoming launch from Virginia can visit nearby viewing locations in Accomack County, Virginia, such as Robert Reed Park and Curtis Merrit Harbor on Chincoteague Island. The Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware Atlantic beaches also provide good viewing locations.

Click here to watch the live stream of the launch from Rocket Lab.

Publisher: SatNow

GNSS Constellations - A list of all GNSS satellites by constellations

beidou

Satellite NameOrbit Date
BeiDou-3 G4Geostationary Orbit (GEO)17 May, 2023
BeiDou-3 G2Geostationary Orbit (GEO)09 Mar, 2020
Compass-IGSO7Inclined Geosynchronous Orbit (IGSO)09 Feb, 2020
BeiDou-3 M19Medium Earth Orbit (MEO)16 Dec, 2019
BeiDou-3 M20Medium Earth Orbit (MEO)16 Dec, 2019
BeiDou-3 M21Medium Earth Orbit (MEO)23 Nov, 2019
BeiDou-3 M22Medium Earth Orbit (MEO)23 Nov, 2019
BeiDou-3 I3Inclined Geosynchronous Orbit (IGSO)04 Nov, 2019
BeiDou-3 M23Medium Earth Orbit (MEO)22 Sep, 2019
BeiDou-3 M24Medium Earth Orbit (MEO)22 Sep, 2019

galileo

Satellite NameOrbit Date
GSAT0223MEO - Near-Circular05 Dec, 2021
GSAT0224MEO - Near-Circular05 Dec, 2021
GSAT0219MEO - Near-Circular25 Jul, 2018
GSAT0220MEO - Near-Circular25 Jul, 2018
GSAT0221MEO - Near-Circular25 Jul, 2018
GSAT0222MEO - Near-Circular25 Jul, 2018
GSAT0215MEO - Near-Circular12 Dec, 2017
GSAT0216MEO - Near-Circular12 Dec, 2017
GSAT0217MEO - Near-Circular12 Dec, 2017
GSAT0218MEO - Near-Circular12 Dec, 2017

glonass

Satellite NameOrbit Date
Kosmos 2569--07 Aug, 2023
Kosmos 2564--28 Nov, 2022
Kosmos 2559--10 Oct, 2022
Kosmos 2557--07 Jul, 2022
Kosmos 2547--25 Oct, 2020
Kosmos 2545--16 Mar, 2020
Kosmos 2544--11 Dec, 2019
Kosmos 2534--27 May, 2019
Kosmos 2529--03 Nov, 2018
Kosmos 2527--16 Jun, 2018

gps

Satellite NameOrbit Date
Navstar 82Medium Earth Orbit19 Jan, 2023
Navstar 81Medium Earth Orbit17 Jun, 2021
Navstar 78Medium Earth Orbit22 Aug, 2019
Navstar 77Medium Earth Orbit23 Dec, 2018
Navstar 76Medium Earth Orbit05 Feb, 2016
Navstar 75Medium Earth Orbit31 Oct, 2015
Navstar 74Medium Earth Orbit15 Jul, 2015
Navstar 73Medium Earth Orbit25 Mar, 2015
Navstar 72Medium Earth Orbit29 Oct, 2014
Navstar 71Medium Earth Orbit02 Aug, 2014

irnss

Satellite NameOrbit Date
NVS-01Geostationary Orbit (GEO)29 May, 2023
IRNSS-1IInclined Geosynchronous Orbit (IGSO)12 Apr, 2018
IRNSS-1HSub Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (Sub-GTO)31 Aug, 2017
IRNSS-1GGeostationary Orbit (GEO)28 Apr, 2016
IRNSS-1FGeostationary Orbit (GEO)10 Mar, 2016
IRNSS-1EGeosynchronous Orbit (IGSO)20 Jan, 2016
IRNSS-1DInclined Geosynchronous Orbit (IGSO)28 Mar, 2015
IRNSS-1CGeostationary Orbit (GEO)16 Oct, 2014
IRNSS-1BInclined Geosynchronous Orbit (IGSO)04 Apr, 2014
IRNSS-1AInclined Geosynchronous Orbit (IGSO)01 Jul, 2013