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NEXT MISSION: AS THE CROW FLIES

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/210011.png)
 

[TH]Mission Name[/TH]       As The Crow Flies [TH]Launch Window[/TH]       14 - 28 October UTC [TH]Rocket[/TH]       Electron [TH]Launch Time[/TH]       23:00 - 03:00 UTC [TH]Electron Name[/TH]       As The Crow Flies [TH]Launch Site[/TH]       Launch Complex 1 (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/210004.jpg)

MISSION OVERVIEW

This mission is scheduled to take place during a 14-day launch window opening on October 15 NZDT. The mission will lift-off from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 on New Zealand's Māhia Peninsula. Encapsulated in Electron's fairing will be a single spacecraft for Astro Digital, a California-based satellite manufacturer and operator.

The mission is named 'As The Crow Flies' in a nod to Astro Digital's Corvus Platform, which provides flexible and cost-effective solutions across a wide range of applications and mission profiles on bus variants ranging from 6U and 16U CubeSats to ESPA Class. Corvus is also a widely-distributed genus of birds which includes crows.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67532.jpg) Rocket Lab‏ Подлинная учетная запись @RocketLab (https://twitter.com/RocketLab) 1 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/RocketLab/status/1178772175332921344)

What's behind the mission name 'As The Crow Flies?' A nod to Astro Digital's Corvus Platform, a modular and scalable collection of satellite subsystems. Corvus = a genus of birds that includes crows = As The Crow Flies. ('As The Crow Launches On A Rocket' seemed a bit intense).

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/177253.jpg)

ЦитироватьRocket Lab launch switcheroo shows the flexibility of the new orbital economy
Devin Coldewey (https://techcrunch.com/author/devin-coldewey/) @techcrunch (https://twitter.com/techcrunch) / 1:19 am MSK • October 1, 2019

New Zealand-based launch provider Rocket Lab  (https://crunchbase.com/organization/rocket-lab) has announced its next commercial mission, "As The Crow Flies (https://www.rocketlabusa.com/missions/next-mission/)," taking an Astro Digital satellite to orbit in October. Interestingly, this launch originally had a different payload, but was switched out on fairly short notice — not exactly a common practice in this business.

The launch, scheduled for a two-week window starting October 15, will take a single spacecraft created by Astro to low Earth orbit. Corvus — the genus to which crows and ravens belong — is the name of the series of imaging satellites (https://astrodigital.com/systems) the company has already put up there; hence the name of the mission.

But this mission wasn't scheduled to launch for some time yet. October's launch, the fifth this year from Rocket Lab, was set to be another customer's, but that customer seems to have needed a bit of extra time to prepare — and simply requested a later launch date.

And because the weather is fine, and one Electron rocket is much like another, Rocket Lab and Astro Digital just decided to use that launch window anyway and head to orbit a bit early.

This kind of thing really isn't done much in the world of launch services. There are so many moving parts and so much red tape, not to mention weather, labor and everything else involved, that launch dates are often set years in advance, frequently delayed anyway, and then either lift off or sit on the launchpad until they do. But flexibility is fundamental to the Rocket Lab business model, as founder and CEO Peter Beck has said repeatedly.

"Electron is a launch on demand service — we're ready when the launch customer is," he told TechCrunch regarding today's announcement. "Electron is designed for standardized, rapid production — we don't build to tail numbers. This ensures we can have launch vehicles on standby, ready to be assigned a payload for launch on demand."

When the inevitable delays happen, whether for product, funding or regulatory reasons, both provider and customer have to be ready to work with one another.

"The systems are complex and everything has to be right before launch, so we always want to ensure our customers have the flexibility to make launch timing work for them," Beck said. "We're accommodating that reality but allowing our customers to adjust their launch schedule as required, without causing disruption to the other missions on our manifest."

As the new space economy grows, the old methods and infrastructure are increasingly unable to keep up, necessitating this kind of flexibility. Other launch providers are building toward small scales and adjustable time frames as well, and there's a line around the globe of small satellite makers who are waiting to take advantage.

You'll be able to watch the launch from the Māhia Peninsula complex live whenever weather permits takeoff, sometime after October 14.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/30213.jpg) Peter Beck‏ @Peter_J_Beck (https://twitter.com/Peter_J_Beck) 19 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/Peter_J_Beck/status/1179489934979125248)

Flight 9 on the pad for wet dress.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/176969.jpg)

ЦитироватьRocket Lab to launch dedicated mission for Astro Digital

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/209679.jpg)

Huntington Beach, California. 30 September, 2019 – Rocket Lab, the global leader in dedicated small satellite launch, has today announced Astro Digital as the customer for Rocket Lab's ninth Electron mission, and fifth mission of 2019.

The dedicated mission is scheduled to take place during a 14-day launch window opening on October 15 NZDT (14 October UTC). The mission will lift-off from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 on New Zealand's Māhia Peninsula. Encapsulated in Electron's fairing will be a single spacecraft for Astro Digital, a California-based satellite manufacturer and operator.

The mission is named 'As The Crow Flies' in a nod to Astro Digital's Corvus Platform, which provides flexible and cost-effective solutions across a wide range of applications and mission profiles on bus variants ranging from 6U and 16U CubeSats to ESPA Class. Corvus is also a widely-distributed genus of birds which includes crows.

Rocket Lab's Senior Vice President – Global Launch Services, Lars Hoffman, says the mission is a perfect example of the tailored, responsive and precise launch service sought by an increasing number of small satellite operators.

"We are honored Astro Digital has selected Rocket Lab as the launch provider for their dedicated mission. The Electron launch vehicle, with its unique Kick Stage, is perfectly positioned to provide the kind of tailored, rapid and responsive access to space that rideshare models simply can't deliver," Mr. Hoffman says. "With Electron and our own launch sites, Rocket Lab is uniquely placed to give small satellite operators complete control over their own launch schedule and orbital requirements."

'As The Crow Flies' has been moved forward in Rocket Lab's 2019 launch manifest, after a customer originally slated for launch in the coming weeks requested a later launch date. By manufacturing standard Electron launch vehicles, rather than rockets tailored to specific missions, Rocket Lab can facilitate rapid manifest changes that support the responsive needs of small satellite operators. Rocket Lab augments this flexibility by operating the world's only private orbital launch range, providing small satellite customers with unmatched launch schedule control.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67532.jpg) Rocket Lab ‏Подлинная учетная запись @RocketLab (https://twitter.com/RocketLab) 5 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/RocketLab/status/1179949340808208385)

Electron soaking up the sun at Launch Complex 1 during today's wet dress rehearsal. L-11 days until this crow flies for @astrodigitalgeo (https://twitter.com/astrodigitalgeo).
#AsTheCrowFlies (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AsTheCrowFlies?src=hash)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/177318.jpg)

ЦитироватьNZZC

B5926/19 - TEMPO DANGER AREA NZD493, IS PRESCRIBED AS FLW:
AIRSPACE ACTIVE WHEN ADVISED BY SEPARATE NOTAM
ALL THAT AIRSPACE BOUNDED BY A LINE JOINING:
39 39 56.42 S 178 55 19.14 E
41 15 20.20 S 177 03 37.80 E
39 20 17.30 S 177 36 32.80 E
39 06 00.00 S 177 36 32.80 E
39 06 00.00 S 177 54 00.00 E
38 59 00.00 S 178 14 00.00 E
39 39 56.42 S 178 55 19.14 E
ACTIVITY: SOUTHERN TRAJECTORY ROCKET LAUNCH AND DEBRIS RETURN
USING AGENCY: ROCKET LAB LIMITED, RANGE CONTROL CENTRE,
TEL +64 28 255 11638
REFER FURTHER NOTAM FOR ASSOCIATED NZZO AIRSPACE.
PRESCRIBED PURSUANT TO CIVIL AVIATION RULE PART 71 UNDER A DELEGATED
AUTHORITY ISSUED BY THE DIRECTOR OF CIVIL AVIATION.
SFC - FL999, 14 OCT 23:30 2019 UNTIL 28 OCT 03:35 2019.
CREATED: 09 OCT 03:32 2019


NZZO

B5927/19 - THREE DANGER AREAS ARE PRESCRIBED FOR SOUTHERN TRAJECTORY ROCKET
LAUNCH AND LAUNCH DEBRIS RETURN.
AIRSPACE ACTIVE WHEN ADVISED BY SEPARATE NOTAM.
 
TEMPO DANGER AREA NZD091, IS PRESCRIBED AS FLW:
ALL THAT AIRSPACE BOUNDED BY A LINE JOINING:
39 39 56.42 S 178 55 19.14 E
51 00 00.00 S 179 30 00.00 W
51 00 00.00 S 176 45 00.00 E
45 13 00.00 S 176 30 00.00 E
41 15 20.20 S 177 03 37.80 E
39 39 56.42 S 178 55 19.14 E
ACTIVITY: ROCKET LAUNCH
USING AGENCY: ROCKET LAB LIMITED, RANGE CONTROL CENTRE,
TEL +64 28 255 11638


TEMPO DANGER AREA NZD092, IS PRESCRIBED AS FLW:
ALL THAT AIRSPACE BOUNDED BY A LINE JOINING:
51 00 00.00 S 179 30 00.00 W
56 57 00.00 S 178 39 00.00 W
56 57 00.00 S 177 07 00.00 E
51 00 00.00 S 176 45 00.00 E
51 00 00.00 S 179 30 00.00 W
ACTIVITY: ROCKET LAUNCH
USING AGENCY: ROCKET LAB LIMITED, RANGE CONTROL CENTRE,
TEL +64 28 255 11638


TEMPO DANGER AREA NZD093, IS PRESCRIBED AS FLW:
ALL THAT AIRSPACE BOUNDED BY A LINE JOINING:
56 57 00.00 S 178 39 00.00 W
65 00 00.00 S 177 30 00.00 W
65 00 00.00 S 177 30 00.00 E
56 57 00.00 S 177 07 00.00 E
56 57 00.00 S 178 39 00.00 W
ACTIVITY: ROCKET LAUNCH
USING AGENCY: ROCKET LAB LIMITED, RANGE CONTROL CENTRE,
TEL +64 28 255 11638
REFER NOTAM FOR ASSOCIATED NZZC AIRSPACE.
PRESCRIBED PURSUANT TO CIVIL AVIATION RULE PART 71 UNDER A DELEGATED
AUTHORITY ISSUED BY THE DIRECTOR OF CIVIL AVIATION.
SFC - FL999, 14 OCT 23:30 2019 UNTIL 28 OCT 03:35 2019.
CREATED: 09 OCT 03:44 2019

ЦитироватьMission Overview

This mission is scheduled to take place during a 14-day launch window opening on October 15 NZDT. The mission will lift-off from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 on New Zealand's Māhia Peninsula. Encapsulated in Electron's fairing will be a single spacecraft for Astro Digital, a California-based satellite manufacturer and operator.

Astro Digital provides customers with complete space-based systems and mission support services for applications such as Earth observation, satellite communications, and technology demonstration.

This mission will fly a Palisade technology demonstration satellite, a 16U CubeSat bus with on-board propulsion system, a next generation Astro Digital developed communications system, and software developed by Advanced Solutions Inc. including an advanced version of ASI's MAX Flight Software.

The mission is named 'As The Crow Flies' in a nod to Astro Digital's Corvus Platform, which provides flexible and cost-effective solutions across a wide range of applications and mission profiles on bus variants ranging from 6U and 16U CubeSats to ESPA Class. Corvus is also a widely-distributed genus of birds which includes crows.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67532.jpg) Rocket Lab @RocketLab (https://twitter.com/RocketLab) 3 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/RocketLab/status/1182068392506712064)

The @astrodigitalgeo (https://twitter.com/astrodigitalgeo) payload for #AsTheCrowFlies (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AsTheCrowFlies?src=hash) has been integrated onto Electron's Kick Stage, and fairing encapsulation is complete! Less than a week to go until our ninth Electron launch.(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/125513.png)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/177358.jpg)

ЦитироватьHYDROPAC IN FORCE AS OF 101356Z OCT 19.

HYDROPAC 3335/19 (76).

WESTERN SOUTH PACIFIC.
NEW ZEALAND.
DNC 06.
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS 142220Z TO 150330Z.
   152155Z TO 160330Z, 162150Z TO 170330Z,
   172145Z TO 180330Z, 182140Z TO 190330Z,
   192135Z TO 200330Z, 202130Z TO 210330Z,
   212125Z TO 220330Z, 222120Z TO 230330Z,
   232115Z TO 240330Z, 242110Z TO 250330Z,
   252105Z TO 260330Z, 262100Z TO 270330,
   272055Z TO 280330Z OCT IN AREA BOUND BY  
   A. ROCKET LAUNCHING
   39-14.0S 177-50.8E, 39-14.0S 177-54.0E,
   39-16.5S 177-58.0E, 39-29.0S 177-50.0E,B
   39-15.0S 177-50.0E.
   B. SPACE DEBRIS
   44-18S 177-17E, 44-15S 178-40E,
   47-19S 179-02E, 47-19S 177-26E.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 280430Z OCT 19.//


HYDROPAC 3336/19 (29,76).

WESTERN SOUTH PACIFIC.
DNC 06, DNC 29
1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, SPACE DEBRIS
   142220Z TO 150330Z, 152155Z TO 160330Z,
   162150Z TO 170330Z, 172145Z TO 180330Z,
   182140Z TO 190330Z, 192135Z TO 200330Z,
   202130Z TO 210330Z, 212125Z TO 220330Z,
   222120Z TO 230330Z, 232115Z TO 240330Z,
   242110Z TO 250330Z, 252105Z TO 260330Z,
   262100Z TO 270330Z, 272055Z TO 280330Z OCT
   IN AREA BOUND BY
   56-29S 177-39E, 56-29S 178-58E,
   64-37S 179-35W, 64-37S 178-49E.
2. CANCEL THIS MSG 280430Z OCT 19.//

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67532.jpg) Rocket Lab @RocketLab (https://twitter.com/RocketLab) 8 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/RocketLab/status/1183571488101715968)

Launch update(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/125513.png): Thunderstorms are rolling in over Launch Complex 1, but forecasts show a brief reprieve late in the week. As such, we're currently targeting no earlier than Thursday 17 Oct UTC for the launch of our 9th Electron mission, 'As The Crow Flies'.

Цитировать

NEXT MISSION: AS THE CROW FLIES

[TH]Mission Name:[/TH]      [TD][/TD][TD]As The Crow Flies[/TD][/TR][TR][TH]Launch Window:[/TH]      [TD][/TD][TD]Target launch date is no earlier than 17 October 2019 UTC (17 October NZDT)[/TD][/TR][TR][TH]Launch Time:[/TH]      [TD][/TD][TD]00:00 - 03:00 UTC (13:00 - 16:00 NZDT) [/TD][/TR][/TABLE]

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67532.jpg) Rocket Lab‏ @RocketLab (https://twitter.com/RocketLab) 3 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/RocketLab/status/1184312440583929856)

Tough weather for the launch team today during L-1 day operations. The clouds are expected to clear for launch tomorrow, but we'll be watching the forecast closely! (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/125313.png)(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/125407.png)(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/125609.png)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/30213.jpg) Peter Beck‏ @Peter_J_Beck (https://twitter.com/Peter_J_Beck) 3 ч. назад (https://twitter.com/Peter_J_Beck/status/1184311119566884864)

Here is what the team are working in!Tomorrow is supposed to clear enough for us to punch a hole in the sky.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/177359.jpg)

Цитировать(https://media.licdn.com/dms/image/C5603AQHUHyJ3u_RwQA/profile-displayphoto-shrink_100_100/0?e=1576713600&v=beta&t=dp15AcgeWUqHrKCF9o3SRAMJCa9-F0I2lj19EIVFT7c) (https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-biddy-68580b89?trk=public-post_share-update_actor-image) chris biddy (https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-biddy-68580b89?trk=public-post_share-update_actor-text)
Co-Founder and CEO at Astro Digital2 нед. · Отредактировано

This is the absolute highlight of my new life in Space Tech so far: The incredible team at Astro Digital is launching PALISADE, a super fancy hush hush 16U communications satellite, on the stunning Rocketlabs Electron spaceship from Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand (Launch window: 14 - 28 October UTC).

Since shifting its business model from earth observation to a scaleable mission as a service business model, Astro Digital has been attracting business for a wide range of mission critical space applications. The upcoming launch represents the perfect execution of the new paradigm in delivering and operating low earth orbit constellations.

AstroDigital was first to successfully launch a 16U spacecraft into orbit earlier this year. The upcoming PALISADE mission was built within only five months including a highly complex communications and in-orbit propulsion system payload. These groundbreaking achievements are likely to define a new benchmark for the industry.

Now it's time to shut up and sit tight. There's still a long way to go for our bird to make it from Santa Clara to New Zealand and 400 miles overhead. Wish us luck and follow the launch progress here: https://lnkd.in/edp6CHD (https://lnkd.in/edp6CHD?trk=public-post_share-update_update-text). #spacetech (https://www.linkedin.com/start/join?session_redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Elinkedin%2Ecom%2Ffeed%2Fhashtag%2Fspacetech&trk=public-post_share-update_update-text) #missioncritical (https://www.linkedin.com/start/join?session_redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Elinkedin%2Ecom%2Ffeed%2Fhashtag%2Fmissioncritical&trk=public-post_share-update_update-text) Astro Digital (https://www.linkedin.com/company/astro-digital?trk=public-post_share-update_update-text)

(https://media.licdn.com/dms/image/C4E22AQGwWTfByZbmOw/feedshare-shrink_800/0?e=1574294400&v=beta&t=7jD_zDKePhXH3hfJCG_EL4Yp6noEkMUrDX_-HgM_RiQ)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67532.jpg) Rocket Lab‏ @RocketLab (https://twitter.com/RocketLab) 7 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/RocketLab/status/1184535697023291392)

Sunrise over Range Control and Launch Complex 1 for @astrodigitalgeo (https://twitter.com/astrodigitalgeo)'s mission - 'As The Crow Flies'. We're currently targeting no earlier than 12:41 am UTC (13:41 NZDT). Stay tuned for updates throughout the day. (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/125513.png)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/177492.jpg)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67532.jpg) Rocket Lab‏ @RocketLab (https://twitter.com/RocketLab) 4 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/RocketLab/status/1184559004569047045)

Electron is vertical on the pad at LC-1!

Target lift-off time:
00:41 UTC
13:41 NZDT
20:41 ET
17:41 PT

The launch webcast will be live approx. 20 mins prior to target T-0.
http://www.rocketlabusa.com/live-stream  (https://t.co/RyD0mD6yVf)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/177491.jpg)

Цитировать

youtube.com/watch?v=gI_Ng4SGyUY (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gI_Ng4SGyUY)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/30213.jpg) Peter Beck‏ @Peter_J_Beck (https://twitter.com/Peter_J_Beck) 30 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/Peter_J_Beck/status/1184577039430344704)

Never gets old.

https://video.twimg.com/tweet_video/EHB2aOFUEAAjMny.mp4 (https://video.twimg.com/tweet_video/EHB2aOFUEAAjMny.mp4)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67532.jpg) Rocket Lab‏ @RocketLab (https://twitter.com/RocketLab) 3 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/RocketLab/status/1184588159289561088)

Today's mission is a dedicated launch for @astrodigitalgeo (https://twitter.com/astrodigitalgeo). The payload is a Palisade tech demo satellite - a 16U CubeSat bus with on-board propulsion and a next generation Astro Digital developed communications system.
Learn more: http://www.rocketlabusa.com/missions/next-mission/ ... (https://t.co/olXThrAFIr)

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/177498.jpg)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67532.jpg) Rocket Lab‏ @RocketLab (https://twitter.com/RocketLab) 7 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/RocketLab/status/1184597459118391296)

LOx time! Right now liquid oxygen is filling Electron's tanks in preparation for lift-off at 00:41 UTC.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/177499.jpg)

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67532.jpg)Rocket Lab‏Подлинная учетная запись @RocketLab (https://twitter.com/RocketLab) 47 сек. назад (https://twitter.com/RocketLab/status/1184615528070955008)

T-60 minutes until target lift-off. The launch webcast will be live approximately 20 mins before T-0 at

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gI_Ng4SGyUY (https://t.co/22ot3c5ca4)

Цитировать10/17/2019 03:10 Stephen Clark

The exact orbital parameters targeted on today's mission have not been released by Rocket Lab or Astro Digital. A Rocket Lab spokesperson confirmed the mission is aiming for an orbit at an altitude of more than 1,000 kilometers, or 621 miles.

Airspace warning notices released in conjunction with the launch suggest the rocket is heading south from New Zealand, destined for a polar orbit.

Цитировать10/17/2019 03:14 Stephen Clark

T-minus 27 minutes. Today's launch is scheduled for 1:41 p.m. local time in New Zealand (0041 GMT; 8:41 p.m. EDT).

The two-stage, 55-foot-tall (17-meter) Electron launcher will power off the launch pad on Mahia Peninsula, located on New Zealand's North Island, with nearly 50,000 pounds of thrust from nine Rutherford main engines. After heading south from the launch pad over the Pacific Ocean, the Electron rocket will shut down and jettison its first stage before igniting a single Rutherford upper stage engine at T+plus 2 minutes, 42 seconds.

The launch vehicle's carbon composite nose fairing will jettison at T+plus 3 minutes, 3 seconds, once the Electron climbs above the dense lower layers of the atmosphere.

A few minutes later, two battery packs that power the Rutherford engine's turbopumps will separate after the rocket completes an in-flight "hot swap" to a new battery set. Shutdown of the Rutherford engine is planned at T+plus 9 minutes, 14 seconds, after placing the Electron in a preliminary transfer orbit.

Four seconds later, at T+plus 9 minutes, 18 seconds, the Electron's second stage will release a Curie kick stage to begin a coast period lasting more than 59 minutes. The Curie's liquid-fueled thruster will ignite at T+plus 68 minutes, 33 seconds, to place the Palisade spacecraft into its planned orbit.

The Curie kick stage's burn will last around 2 minutes, 3 seconds, and deployment of the Palisade payload is timed for T+plus 1 hour, 11 minutes, 22 seconds.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67532.jpg) Rocket Lab‏ @RocketLab (https://twitter.com/RocketLab) 17 сек. назад (https://twitter.com/RocketLab/status/1184627021160206336)

Weather balloon data shows strong upper level winds at T-0, so we're now targeting today's second launch opportunity: 01:22 UTC (14:22 NZDT).

Цитировать10/17/2019 03:25 Stephen Clark

Rocket Lab has two instantaneous launch opportunities today at 8:41 p.m. EDT (0041 GMT) and at 9:22 p.m. EDT (0122 GMT), according to a company spokesperson.



10/17/2019 03:30 Stephen Clark

Rocket Lab has confirmed it will target the second of today's instantaneous launch opportunities at 9:22 p.m. EDT (0122 GMT; 2:22 p.m. New Zealand time) due to strong upper level winds over the launch base.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/30213.jpg) Peter Beck‏ @Peter_J_Beck (https://twitter.com/Peter_J_Beck) 9 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/Peter_J_Beck/status/1184628280671887360)

Nice on the ground, blowing like crazy in the sky.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67532.jpg) Rocket Lab‏ @RocketLab (https://twitter.com/RocketLab) 4 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/RocketLab/status/1184638095414587392)

We're still tracking upper level winds - could be no-go at T0.

ЦитироватьElectron "As The Crow Flies" launch

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/220612.jpg) (https://www.youtube.com/user/SciNewsRo) SciNews (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjU6ZwoTQtKWfz1urL7XcbA)

16 окт. 2019 г.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/30213.jpg) Peter Beck‏ @Peter_J_Beck (https://twitter.com/Peter_J_Beck) 27 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/Peter_J_Beck/status/1184645662094188544)

Perfect transfer orbit!

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67532.jpg) Rocket Lab @RocketLab (https://twitter.com/RocketLab) 15 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/RocketLab/status/1184649040652165123)

After a successful lift-off for #AsTheCrowFlies (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AsTheCrowFlies?src=hash), Electron's Kick Stage is now in a transfer orbit preparing to deploy @astrodigitalgeo (https://twitter.com/astrodigitalgeo)'s payload in the coming hours. Check out the views from today's launch.

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/177495.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/177496.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/177494.jpg)
(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/177497.jpg)

Цитировать10/17/2019 04:36 Stephen Clark

Rocket Lab's webcast has ended. Ignition of the Curie kick stage scheduled around 0230 GMT (10:30 p.m. EDT)

Separation of the mission's sole payload will occur a few minutes later. Rocket Lab says it will announce the deployment of the Palisade spacecraft via Twitter.

ЦитироватьRocket Lab 'As The Crow Flies' Launch

(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/220625.jpg) (https://www.youtube.com/user/RocketLabNZ) Rocket Lab (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsWq7LZaizhIi-c-Yo_bcpw)

Трансляция началась 55 минут назад

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185190.jpg) Astro Digital‏ @astrodigitalgeo (https://twitter.com/astrodigitalgeo) 33 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/astrodigitalgeo/status/1184646697437106176)

Separation of the kick stage for the Palisade Mission complete!

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Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/30213.jpg) Peter Beck‏ @Peter_J_Beck (https://twitter.com/Peter_J_Beck) 4 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/Peter_J_Beck/status/1184668087603232769)

Perfect final orbit and deployment. Flawless mission!

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67532.jpg) Rocket Lab‏ @RocketLab (https://twitter.com/RocketLab) 3 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/RocketLab/status/1184668542345437184)

The #AsTheCrowFlies (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AsTheCrowFlies?src=hash) spacecraft has been deployed. We have mission success! Congratulations to @astrodigitalgeo (https://twitter.com/astrodigitalgeo) team. It has been a privilege to be your mission partner.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/29897.png) Chris B - NSF‏ @NASASpaceflight (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight) 2 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1184669367826636802)

S/C Sep for Palisade following Rocket Lab's ninth Electron mission.

ARTICLE:

https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2019/10/rocket-lab-electron-flight-9-new-pad-continues/ ... (https://t.co/umWWjhjGaE)

- By Tyler Gray (@TylerG1998 (https://twitter.com/TylerG1998))

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/30213.jpg) Peter Beck‏ @Peter_J_Beck (https://twitter.com/Peter_J_Beck) 3 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/Peter_J_Beck/status/1184669529491685376)

Just completed perfect de-orbit burn of the kick stage making sure we don't leave junk in space for generations to come.
#tidykiwi (https://twitter.com/hashtag/tidykiwi?src=hash)

ЦитироватьRocket Lab successfully launches ninth Electron mission, deploys payload to highest orbit yet

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The successful mission brings the total count of satellites deployed by Rocket Lab to 40 and continues the company's record of 100% mission success for customers

Auckland, New Zealand.  17 October 2019 – Rocket Lab, the global leader in dedicated small satellite launch, has successfully launched its ninth Electron mission, deploying a single spacecraft to orbit for satellite manufacturer Astro Digital.

The mission, named 'As The Crow Flies,' lifted off from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 on New Zealand's Māhia Peninsula at 01:22 UTC, 17 October 2019 (14:22 NZDT). Approximately 71 minutes after lift-off, Electron's Kick Stage deployed the payload to a circular orbit of more than 1,000 km - more than twice the altitude of any Electron mission to date. The mission successfully demonstrated recent upgrades to the Kick Stage's 3D-printed Curie engine, including the move to a bi-propellant design for improved performance. Curie also serves as the propulsion system on Rocket Lab's Photon satellite bus, and the flight-proven engine upgrades support enduring missions in LEO, as well as higher orbits.  

This mission takes the total number of satellites deployed by Rocket Lab to 40 and continues the company's track record of 100% mission success for customers.  

The spacecraft on board was a Palisade technology demonstration satellite - a 16U CubeSat with on-board propulsion and next generation communications systems developed by Astro Digital, and software developed by Advanced Solutions Inc. including an advanced version of ASI's MAX Flight Software.

The mission earned its moniker, 'As The Crow Flies,' as a nod to Astro Digital's Corvus Spacecraft Platform which provides flexible and cost-effective solutions across a wide range of applications and mission profiles on bus variants ranging from 6U and 16U CubeSats to ESPA Class. Corvus is also a widely distributed genus of birds that includes crows.

'As The Crow Flies' was pulled forward in Rocket Lab's 2019 manifest after a customer originally slated for this window requested a later launch date.

"Congratulations to the Astro Digital team for readying the spacecraft and taking advantage of an earlier launch opportunity. Our teams worked closely to deliver a flawless mission in a demonstration of the truly responsive space launch that small satellites need," said Rocket Lab Founder and Chief Executive, Peter Beck. "No longer do small satellite operators have to accept the limitations of flying as a secondary payload, nor do they have to wait endlessly on the manifest of unproven launch vehicles. Frequent, responsive, and reliable launch is the new norm for small satellites thanks to Electron."

Rocket Lab's next mission is scheduled for lift-off from Launch Complex 1 from late November.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/185190.jpg) Astro Digital‏ @astrodigitalgeo (https://twitter.com/astrodigitalgeo) 3 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/astrodigitalgeo/status/1184685587095142401)

Thanks for the ride!

Цитироватьhttps://twitter.com/RocketLab/status/1184668542345437184 (https://twitter.com/RocketLab/status/1184668542345437184)

ЦитироватьRocket Lab delivers on dedicated launch for Astro Digital
October 17, 2019 (https://spaceflightnow.com/2019/10/) | Stephen Clark (https://spaceflightnow.com/author/stephen-clark/)

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In this view fr om the Electron rocket's second stage, Rocket Lab's Curie kick stage with the Palisade satellite is seen backdropped by the Earth around 10 minutes after liftoff. Credit: Rocket Lab

A technology demonstration microsatellite for Astro Digital rode a Rocket Lab Electron launcher into orbit Wednesday (U.S. time) fr om New Zealand, setting the stage for the debut of new systems on the next Electron flight as engineers move closer to retrieving and reusing the rocket's first stage.

The 55-foot-tall (17-meter) Electron rocket fired nine Rutherford engines with nearly 50,000 pounds of thrust at 9:22 p.m. EDT Wednesday (0122 GMT Thursday) to climb off its launch pad on Mahia Peninsula, the home of Rocket Lab's privately-run spaceport on on New Zealand's North Island.

Liftoff occurred at 2:22 p.m. local time in New Zealand to begin Rocket Lab's ninth Electron mission, and the fifth this year.

Heading south from the launch base, the Electron shed its nine-engine first stage around two-and-a-half minutes after liftoff. Moments later, the second stage's single Rutherford engine ignited to continue the journey into space.

Powered by electric pumps, the Rutherford engine guided the Electron rocket into an on-target parking orbit around nine minutes into the mission, before the launcher deployed Rocket Lab's Curie kick stage to complete the job of placing Astro Digital's Palisade microsatellite into its final orbit.

A camera mounted to the tumbling Electron second stage beamed down dazzling live views of the Curie kick stage and the Palisade spacecraft.

Rocket Lab's live webcast of the mission ended after the launcher reached its preliminary orbit. The company later confirmed the Curie kick stage completed its orbit adjustment maneuver, then released the Palisade satellite around 71 minutes after liftoff.

"Perfect final orbit and deployment," tweeted Peter Beck, Rocket Lab's CEO. "Flawless mission!"

The launch vehicle injected the Palisade spacecraft into a nearly circular polar orbit with an average altitude of around 745 miles, or 1,200 kilometers, at an inclination of 87.8 degrees, according to U.S. military tracking data.

The Curie kick stage flown on Wednesday's mission included a performance enhancement. The kick stage's engine previously used a single "green" non-toxic fuel — a monopropellant system, in propulsion parlance — while the upgraded engine is fed by a green bi-propellant mixture with a fuel and an oxidizer.

After releasing Astro Digital's Palisade satellite, the Curie kick stage reignited to drop out of orbit, according to Rocket Lab.

"Just completed perfect de-orbit burn of the kick stage making sure we don't leave junk in space for generations to come," Beck tweeted.

The Electron rocket that launched Wednesday, known as "Flight 9," was originally assigned to ferry a different payload into orbit, Beck said in a recent interview. Rocket Lab did not identify the satellite that was replaced by Astro Digital's Palisade spacecraft.

"Congratulations to the Astro Digital team for readying the spacecraft and taking advantage of an earlier launch opportunity," Beck said in a post-launch press release. "Our teams worked closely to deliver a flawless mission in a demonstration of the truly responsive space launch that small satellites need."

Rocket Lab was the first in a new wave of startup launch companies to enter commercial operations with a small satellite launch vehicle. The Electron rocket, with a base price of $5.7 million, is sized to carry up to 330 pounds (150 kilograms) into a 310-mile-high (500-kilometer) sun-synchronous orbit, allowing small satellite operators to buy dedicated rides to space rather than purchasing excess capacity on a larger launcher.

"No longer do small satellite operators have to accept the limitations of flying as a secondary payload, nor do they have to wait endlessly on the manifest of unproven launch vehicles," Beck said. "Frequent, responsive, and reliable launch is the new norm for small satellites thanks to Electron."

Rocket Lab aims to debut an upgraded Electron first stage on the company's next mission, set for late November.

The first stage on the next Electron rocket, designated Flight 10, will feature several changes to help Rocket Lab prepare for an eventual attempt to recover the booster with a helicopter on a future flight. Rocket Lab announced in August plans to retrieve and reuse Electron first stages, primarily to achieve a planned cadence of one launch per week.

Rocket Lab determined production bottlenecks were a major factor inhibiting such a rapid launch rate. Reusing rockets could ease the burden on Rocket Lab's factories in New Zealand and California, the company says.

The company installed a data recorder on an Electron rocket launched in August to collect information on the environments the first stage sees when it comes back to Earth, before eventually breaking apart in the atmosphere.

Beck told Spaceflight Now in a recent interview that the data obtained during the August launch showed that designing the Electron first stage to survive re-entry will be difficult.

"We knew it's hard, but we certainly learned that it is hard," Beck said. "We did get some good initial data from the flight (in August), but really Flight 10 is wh ere it's all going to happen. That's wh ere we're pushing really deep with the stage. That stage has a full telemetry system, there's RCS (reaction control system thrusters) to guide it into the entry corridor. We expect to go quite deep (into the atmosphere) with that flight."

The next Electron launch will not carry a decelerator or a parachute. Those systems will be installed on later rockets to enable a recovery of the booster first from the ocean, then via helicopter, Beck said.

"It's purely to just punch it into the atmosphere, fully guided, as deep as we can and gather data," he said. "Flight 10 is about pushing it deep into the atmosphere and really understanding the hypersonic flow and the heating regime."

SpaceX uses cold gas thrusters to re-orient its Falcon 9 first stages, then reignites a subset of the Falcon 9's Merlin engines to slow down for propulsive landings, using thrust and grid fins to steer it back to a drone ship at sea or toward an onshore recovery site.

Rocket Lab is taking a different approach.

Because the Electron rocket is much smaller than the Falcon 9, there's not enough leftover propellant to attempt a propulsive landing.

"We don't intend to use grid fins," Beck said. "We have other types of measures. The most important thing on this (next) one is the active guidance with the RCS and making sure we maintain a really tight corridor with the base heat shield first, and just push it as deep as we can go."

The Palisade spacecraft launched Wednesday — about the size of a small suitcase — is designed for a technology demonstration mission, according to Astro Digital, a company based in Silicon Valley. It carries an on-board propulsion system, an Astro Digital-developed communications system, and software developed by Advanced Solutions Inc., a Colorado company.

"Our team built this satellite in five months, including the complex RF (communications) payload, something we are very proud of," said Chris Biddy, co-founder and CEO of Astro Digital.

The company did not provide details on the type of communications technology it will test on the Palisade satellite, or the services the payload could provide to customers.

Astro Digital has launched four small "Landmapper" CubeSats for a planned fleet of Earth observation satellites. The company has "evolved" its strategy to support a broader range of satellite missions, Biddy told Spaceflight Now.

"We were able to prove our core satellite platform technology with our first Landmapper satellites and have now expanded and evolved into supporting a diverse range of missions leveraging our experience," Biddy said. "We started as an Earth observation company. Now we are an end-to-end mission provider supporting broad LEO-based missions."

Rocket Lab named Wednesday's mission "As The Crow Flies" as a nod to Astro Digital's Corvus satellite platform, upon which the Palisade mission is built. Corvus is a genus of birds that includes crows.

Цитировать(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/67532.jpg) Rocket Lab‏ @RocketLab (https://twitter.com/RocketLab) 16 мин. назад (https://twitter.com/RocketLab/status/1184902223353925632)

More stunning photos from yesterday's #AsTheCrowFlies (https://twitter.com/hashtag/AsTheCrowFlies?src=hash) mission. Our 9th launch marks 90 Rutherford engines launched to space now.   Electron's glamour shots are courtesy of our launch team members @samstoms (https://twitter.com/samstoms), @VonBraunnabe (https://twitter.com/VonBraunnabe) and Andrew Burns. (https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/125513.png)(https://img.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/125426.png)

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