Scheduled Liftoff at 3:30 a.m. ET
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| Rocket Lab to Launch Radar Earth-Observation Satellite in Early September 19 |
Rocket Lab is set to launch a radar Earth-observation satellite on Tuesday, September 19th, for California-based company Capella Space, and you can witness the event live.
An Electron rocket, carrying one of Capella's cutting-edge "Acadia" synthetic aperture radar (SAR) spacecraft, is scheduled for liftoff from Rocket Lab's New Zealand facility on Tuesday at 2:33 a.m. EDT (0633 GMT; 6:33 p.m. local New Zealand time).
You'll be able to watch this live launch right here on Space.com when the time arrives, thanks to Rocket Lab, or you can tune in directly through the company's official channels.
If everything proceeds as planned on Tuesday, approximately 57 minutes after liftoff, the Electron will deploy the Acadia satellite into a circular orbit around 395 miles above Earth (635 kilometers). Following a brief checkout period, the spacecraft will commence its Earth observation mission, capturing radar data to serve a diverse range of customers.
Rocket Lab highlights the unique capabilities of Capella's satellites, stating that they provide the highest quality, high-resolution SAR imagery commercially available. These satellites are capable of penetrating all weather conditions and capturing clear imagery 24/7, day or night, from anywhere on Earth.
Moreover, the next-generation Acadia satellites come equipped with several new features that promise faster downlink speeds and even higher-quality images. These improvements enable the rapid delivery of reliable insights through Capella's fully automated ordering and delivery platform.
Tuesday's mission, named "We Will Never Desert You" by Rocket Lab, marks the second launch in a four-launch contract aimed at deploying Capella's Acadia satellites into orbit. The first launch in this series took place on August 23rd.
The previous launch, aptly named "We Love the Nightlife," marked a significant milestone for Rocket Lab as one of the Electron's nine Rutherford first-stage engines had been flown before. Additionally, Rocket Lab successfully brought the rocket's first stage back to Earth with a parachute-aided ocean splashdown, facilitating its inspection and analysis. This achievement marked the eighth rocket recovery for Rocket Lab, as they continue their efforts to make the Electron's first stage reusable.
While it remains uncertain whether "We Will Never Desert You" will involve similar rocket-reuse endeavors, Rocket Lab has yet to make any such announcements. However, it's worth noting that the company surprised observers with the reuse of a first-stage engine just before the "We Love the Nightlife" liftoff.
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