On Closer Inspection

Well folks, it’s time for another Rocket Lab launch!

Scheduled for UTC	2024-02-18 14:52
Scheduled for (local)	2024-02-19 03:52 (NZDT)
Launch site	LC-1B, Māhia Peninsula, New Zealand.
Booster recovery	No
Launch vehicle	Electron + Curie
Customer	JAXA
Payload	ADRAS-J (150 kg)
Mission success criteria	Successful deployment of spacecraft into Sun-Synchronous Orbit

Livestreams

Stream	Link
Rocket Lab	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcuZMP1m_g8
Everyday Astronaut
Space Affairs	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byanNiEnBbw
The Launch Pad	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2cieJdC8DU

Stats

• This will be the 2nd launch for Rocket Lab this year.
• This will be the 44th overall launch for Rocket Lab.

Payload info:

Rocket Lab mission page

NextSpaceflight:

The ADRAS-J spacecraft was selected by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) for Phase I of its Commercial Removal of Debris Demonstration Project (CRD2), one of the world’s first technology demonstrations of removing large-scale debris from orbit. ADRAS-J will demonstrate a safe and secure approach — known as RPO — with an H-IIA rocket 2nd stage launched in January 2009, and will obtain images of and other conditional data (spin rate, spin axis, conditions etc.) about that object, delivering observational information to better understand the space debris environment.

Previous mission (Four Of A Kind) | Next mission (Owl Night Long)

Please post small launch updates, discussions, and questions here! Also feel free to leave feedback or suggestions for the mod team. We’re still a relatively small sub, so feedback from the community is very valuable!