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!

  • Dave@lemmy.nzEnglish
    2·
    10 months ago

    Is it normal to do launches at 4am? I guess things line up when they line up so you gotta launch in that window?

    • threelonmusketeersOPMEnglish
      2·
      9 months ago

      I guess things line up when they line up

      Yeah, pretty much. The target orbit is a Sun-Synchronous orbit, which is a high-inclination (nearly polar) orbit. Any given launch site passes under this orbit only twice per day, and usually only one of these two is practical if you want to avoid launching over populated areas. As a result, sometimes you’ve got to launch at 4 a.m.

      • Dave@lemmy.nzEnglish
        2·
        9 months ago

        Ah neat! I hadn’t realised an orbit was possible that maintained the same overhead sunlight! Just reading wikipedia, it seems this is only possible for squished planets and not for perfectly spherical ones.

  • threelonmusketeersOPMEnglish
    1·
    9 months ago

    SECO, kickstage separation, and nominal transfer orbit confirmed.

    Coast phase followed by a Curie engine burn at T+1:04:30.