Beginning Of The Swarm

Well folks, it's time for the 5th Rocket Lab launch of the year!

| Scheduled for (UTC) | 2024-04-23 22:32 | |

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| | Scheduled for (NZDT) | 2024-04-24 10:32 | | Launch site | Rocket Lab LC-1B, Māhia Peninsula, New Zealand | | Booster recovery | No | | Launch vehicle | Electron + Curie | | Customers | NASA, KAIST | | Payloads | ACS3, NeonSat-1 | | Mission success criteria | Successful deployment of spacecraft into Sun-Synchronous Orbit |

Livestreams

| Stream | Link | |

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| | Rocket Lab (official) | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9izutzETw1U | Everyday Astronaut | | Space Affairs | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RsjdotByms | The Launch Pad | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ui5seaIDzMQ

Stats

• This will be the 5th launch for Rocket Lab this year.
• This will be the 47th overall launch for Rocket Lab.

Payload info:

Rocket Lab mission page

NextSpaceflight:

ACS3

NASA’s ACS3 technology demonstration uses composite materials - or a combination of materials with different properties, in its novel, lightweight booms that deploy from a CubeSat to support a solar sail. Just as a sailboat is powered by wind in a sail, solar sails employ the pressure of sunlight for propulsion, eliminating the need for conventional rocket propellant. Data obtained from the ACS3 demonstration will guide the design of future larger-scale composite solar sail systems that could be used for space weather early warning satellites, near-Earth asteroid reconnaissance missions, or communications relays for crewed exploration missions.

NeonSat-1

NeonSat-1 is a high-resolution optical satellite that will be deployed as a technology demonstration for a planned future Earth observation constellation. KAIST is Korea’s leading science and technology institution, having developed and operated Korea’s very first satellite KAIST when it was successfully launched more than 30 years ago.

Previous mission (Live and Let Fly (NROL-123)) | Next mission (Ready, Aim, PREFIRE)

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