Rocket Lab launch overview

Category: Launch overview
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Credit: Rocket Lab

Rocket Lab is a public launch provider and aerospace manufacturer. The company was founded in New Zealand in 2006 by Peter Beck and has its headquarters in Long Beach, California (USA). Rocket Lab uses its two-stage Electron rocket to service the commercial small satellite launch market. The first test launches of an Electron rocket took place on 25 May 2017 and 21 Januari 2018 after which the Electron performed its first commercial flight in November 2018. Meanwhile, Rocket Lab has already performed dozens of launches on behalf of various commercial and governmental clients such as Planet Labs, Spire Global, Spaceflight Industries, NASA and NRO. Learn about all the different launches of the commercial Electron rocket from the space company Rocket Lab thanks to this overview! 

Electron launch overview

No. Mission
name		 Date
launch		 Rocket Launch base Orbit Payload Patch Video Mission
succes?
1 "It's a Test" 25/05/2017 LEO
  • USA Test payload (Rocket Lab)
 Rocket Lab Video

Failure
2 "Still Testing" 21/01/2018 LEO
  • New Zealand Humanity Star (Rocket Lab)
  • USA Dove Pioneer (Planet Labs)
  • USA Lemur-2 72 (Spire)
  • USA Lemur-2 73 (Spire)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
3 "It's Business
Time"		 11/11/2018 LEO
  • Australia Proxima 1 (Fleet Space Techn.)
  • Australia Proxima 2 (Fleet Space Techn.)
  • Germany NABEO 1 (HPS GmbH)
  • USA CICERO 10 (GeoOptics Inc.)
  • USA IRVINE 01 (Irvine Public School)
  • USA Lemur-2 82 (Spire)
  • USA Lemur-2 83 (Spire)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
4 "This One's
For Pickering"		 16/12/2018 LEO
  • USA ALBus (NASA)
  • USA CeREs (NASA)
  • USA CHOMPTT (University of Florida/NASA)
  • USA CubeSail A & B (University of Illinois)
  • USA Da Vinci (North Idaho STEM Charter)
  • USA ISX (NASA/JPL)
  • USA NMTSat (New Mexico Institute of Mining)
  • USA RSat-P (US Naval Academy)
  • USA Shields 1 (NASA)
  • USA SHFT 2 (DARPA)
  • USA STF 1 (NASA/West Virginia University)
  • USA TOMSat EagleScout (Aerospace Corp.)
  • USA TOMSat R3 (Aerospace Corp.)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
5 "Two Thumbs Up" 28/03/2019 LEO
  • USA R3D2 (DARPA)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
6 "That's a Funny
Looking Cactus"		 05/05/2019 LEO
  • USA Harbinger (York Space Systems)
  • USA SPARC 1 (Air Force Research Lab.)
  • USA Falcon-ODE (U.S. Air Force Academy)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
7 "Make it Rain" 29/06/2019 LEO
  • Australia ACRUX-1 (Melbourne Space Program)
  • Mexico Painani 1 (SEDENA)
  • USA BlackSky 3 (BlackSky Global)
  • USA Prometheus 2.7 (Los Alamos National Lab.)
  • USA Prometheus 2.9 (Los Alamos National Lab.)
  • USA SpaceBEE 8 (Swarm Technologies)
  • USA SpaceBEE 9 (Swarm Technologies)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
8 "Look Ma,
No Hands"		 19/08/2019 LEO
  • France BRO 1 (UnseenLabs)
  • USA BlackSky Global 4 (BlackSky Global)
  • USA Pearl White 1 (AFSPC)
  • USA Pearl White 2 (AFSPC)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
9 "As The Crow
Flies"		 17/10/2019 LEO
  • USA Palisade (Astro Digital)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
10 "Running Out
Of Fingers"		 06/12/2019 LEO
  • Germany TRSI Sat (My Radar)
  • Hungary ATL-1 (ATL Ltd.)
  • Hungary SMOG-P (BME University)
  • Japan ALE-2 (Astra Live Experiences)
  • Spain Fossasat-1 (Fossa Systems)
  • USA NOOR-1A (Alba Orbital)
  • USA NOOR-1B (Alba Orbital)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
11 "Birds of
a Feather"		 31/01/2020 LEO
  • USA NROL-151 (NRO)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
12 "Don't Stop
Me Now"		 13/06/2020 LEO
  • Australia RAAF M2PF (Australian Defence)
  • USA ANDESITE (Boston University)
  • USA USA-301 (NRO)
  • USA USA-302 (NRO)
  • USA USA-303 (NRO)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
13 "Pic's or it
Didn't happen"		 04/07/2020 LEO
  • Japan CE-SAT-IB (Canon)
  • UK Faraday 1 (InSpace)
  • USA SuperDove 240E (Planet Labs)
  • USA SuperDove 240B (Planet Labs)
  • USA SuperDove 2411 (Planet Labs)
  • USA SuperDove 2410 (Planet Labs)
  • USA SuperDove 2418 (Planet Labs)
 Rocket Lab Video

Failure
14 "I Can't Believe
It's Not Optical"		 31/08/2020 LEO
  • USA Photon 01 (Rocket Lab)
  • USA Sequoia (Capella Space)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
15 "In Focus" 28/10/2020 LEO
  • Japan CE-SAT-IIB (Canon)
  • USA Dove 225A (Planet Labs)
  • USA Dove 2279 (Planet Labs)
  • USA Dove 2251 (Planet Labs)
  • USA Dove 227E (Planet Labs)
  • USA Dove 2276 (Planet Labs)
  • USA Dove 2280 (Planet Labs)
  • USA Dove 2262 (Planet Labs)
  • USA Dove 2264 (Planet Labs)
  • USA Dove 2441 (Planet Labs)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
16 "Return To Sender" 20/11/2020 LEO
  • France BRO-2 (UnseenLabs)
  • France BRO-3 (UnseenLabs)
  • New Zealand APSS-1 (QuakeTEC/APSS)
  • New Zealand Gnome Chompski(Rocket Lab)
  • USA Dragracer A (TriSept Corp.)
  • USA Dragracer B (TriSept Corp.)
  • USA Mandrake 1 (DARPA)
  • USA 24 x SpaceBEE (Swarm Technologies)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
17 "The Owl's
Night Begins"		 15/12/2020 LEO
  • Japan StriX-a (Synspective)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
18 "Another One
Leaves The Crust"		 20/01/2021 LEO
  • China GMS-T (OHB)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
19 "They Go Up
So Fast"		 22/03/2021 LEO
  • Australia Centauri 3 (Fleet Space Tech.)
  • Australia Myriota 7 (Myriota)
  • Australia RAAF-M2 A (Australian Defence)
  • Australia RAAF-M2 B (Australian Defence)
  • USA BlackSky-7 (BlackSky Global)
  • USA Gunsmoke-J 3 (SMDC)
  • USA Photon 02 (Rocket Lab)
  • USA Veery Hatchling (Care Weather Tech.)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
20 "Running Out
Of Toes"		 15/05/2021 LEO
  • USA BlackSky-8 (BlackSky Global)
  • USA BlackSky-9 (BlackSky Global)
 Rocket Lab Video

Failure
21 "It's A Little
Chile Up Here"		 29/07/2021 LEO
  • USA Monolith (U.S. Space Force)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
22 "Love At
First Insight"		 18/11/2021 LEO
  • USA BlackSky-10 (BlackSky Global)
  • USA BlackSky-11 (BlackSky Global)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
23 "A Data With
Destiny"		 09/12/2021 LEO
  • USA BlackSky-13 (BlackSky Global)
  • USA BlackSky-14 (BlackSky Global)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
24 "The Owls
Night Continues"		 28/02/2022 LEO
  • Japan StriX-β (Synspective)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
25 "Without Mission
A Beat"		 02/04/2022 LEO
  • USA BlackSky 16 (BlackSky Global)
  • USA BlackSky 17 (BlackSky Global)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
26 "There And
Back Again"		 02/05/2022 SSO
  • Finland AuroraSat 1 (Aurora Propulsion Tech.)
  • France BRO 6 (UnseenLabs)
  • Germany MyRadar 1 (ACME)
  • Germany TRSI-Sat 2 (ACME)
  • Germany TRSI-Sat 3 (ACME)
  • New Zealand Copia (Astrix)
  • UK Unicorn 2 (Alba Orbital)
  • USA 3 x E-Space Demo (E-Space)
  • USA 8 x SpaceBEENZ (Swarm Technologies)
  • USA 16 x SpaceBEE (Swarm Technologies)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
27 "CAPSTONE" 28/06/2022 Lunar
  • USA CAPSTONE (NASA/AES)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
28 "Wise One
Looks Ahead"		 13/07/2022 LEO
  • USA NROL 162 (NRO)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
29 "Antipodean
Adventure"		 04/08/2022 LEO
  • USA NROL 199 (NRO)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
30 "The Owl Spreads
Its Wings"		 15/09/2022 SSO
  • Japan StriX-1 (Synspective)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
31 "It Argos Up
From Here"		 07/10/2022 SSO
  • USA GAzelle (GA-EMS)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
32 "Catch Me
If You Can"		 04/11/2022 SSO
  • Sweden MATS (SNSA)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
33 "Virginia Is
For Launch Lovers"		 25/01/2023 Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport
(USA)		 LEO
  • USA HawkEye 6A (HawkEye 360)
  • USA HawkEye 6B (HawkEye 360)
  • USA HawkEye 6C (HawkEye 360)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
34 "Stronger
Together"		 16/03/2023 Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport
(USA)		 LEO
  • USA Capella 9 (Capella Space)
  • USA Capella 10 (Capella Space)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
35 "The Beat
Goes On"		 24/03/2023 LEO
  • USA BlackSky-18 (BlackSky Global)
  • USA BlackSky-19 (BlackSky Global)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
36 "Rocket Like
A Hurricane"		 08/05/2023 LEO
  • USA TROPICS 05 (NASA)
  • USA TROPICS 06 (NASA)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
37 "Coming To A
Storm Near You"		 26/05/2023 LEO
  • USA TROPICS 03 (NASA)
  • USA TROPICS 07 (NASA)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
38 "Baby Come Back" 18/07/2023 SSO
  • USA Lemur-2 169 (Spire)
  • USA Lemur-2 170 (Spire)
  • USA Telesat LEO 3 (TeleSat)
  • USA Starling 1 (NASA)
  • USA Starling 2 (NASA)
  • USA Starling 3 (NASA)
  • USA Starling 4 (NASA)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
39 "We Love
The Nightlife"		 23/08/2023 LEO
  • USA Acadia 1 (Capella Space)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
40 "We Will Never
Desert You"		 19/09/2023 LEO
  • USA Acadia 2 (Capella Space)
 Rocket Lab Video

Failure
41 "The Moon
God Awakens"		 15/12/2023 LEO
  • Japan QPS-SAR-5 (IQPS)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
42 "Four Of
A Kind"		 31/01/2024 LEO
  • Canada Skylark 1 (Northstar Earth & Space)
  • Canada Skylark 2 (Northstar Earth & Space)
  • Canada Skylark 3 (Northstar Earth & Space)
  • Canada Skylark 4 (Northstar Earth & Space)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
43 "On Closer
Inspection"		 18/02/2024 LEO
  • Japan ADRAS-J (Astroscale Japan)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
44 "Owl Night
Long"		 12/03/2024 SSO
  • Japan StriX-3 (Synspective)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
45 "Live and
Let Fly"		 21/03/2024 Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport
(USA)		 LEO
  • USA NROL-123 (NRO)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
46 "Beginning Of
The Swarm"		 23/04/2024 SSO
  • South Korea NeonSat-1 (KAIST)
  • USA ACS3 (NASA)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
47 "Ready, Aim
PREFIRE"		 25/05/2024 SSO
  • USA PREFIRE Mission 1 (NASA)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
48 "PREFIRE
And Ice"		 05/06/2024 SSO
  • USA PREFIRE Mission 2 (NASA)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
49 "No Time
Toulouse"		 20/06/2024 SSO
  • USA Kinéis 1A (Kinéis)
  • USA Kinéis 1B (Kinéis)
  • USA Kinéis 1C (Kinéis)
  • USA Kinéis 1D (Kinéis)
  • USA Kinéis 1E (Kinéis)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
50 "Owl For One,
One For Owl"		 02/08/2024 LEO
  • USA StriX-2 (Synspective)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
51 "A Sky Full
Of SARs"		 11/08/2024 LEO
  • USA Arcadia 3 (Capella Space)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
52 "Kinéis Killed
The RadioT Star"		 20/09/2024 LEO
  • USA Kinéis 3A (Kinéis)
  • USA Kinéis 3B (Kinéis)
  • USA Kinéis 3C (Kinéis)
  • USA Kinéis 3D (Kinéis)
  • USA Kinéis 3E (Kinéis)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
53 "Changes in Lattitudes,
Changes in Attitudes"		 05/11/2024 SSO
  • USA Protosat-1 (E-Space)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
54 "Ice AIS
Baby"		 25/11/2024 LEO
  • USA Kinéis 5A (Kinéis)
  • USA Kinéis 5B (Kinéis)
  • USA Kinéis 5C (Kinéis)
  • USA Kinéis 5D (Kinéis)
  • USA Kinéis 5E (Kinéis)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
55 "Owl The Way Up 21/12/2024 SSO
  • USA StriX-2 (Synspective)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
56 "IoT 4 You
and Me"		 08/02/2025 SSO
  • USA Kinéis 2A (Kinéis)
  • USA Kinéis 2B (Kinéis)
  • USA Kinéis 2C (Kinéis)
  • USA Kinéis 2D (Kinéis)
  • USA Kinéis 2E (Kinéis)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
57 "Faster Your
Space Belts"		 18/02/2025 LEO
  • USA BlackSky Gen. 3 (BlackSky Global)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
58 "The Lightning
God Reigns"		 15/03/2025 LEO
  • USA QPS-SAR-9 (iQPS)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
59 "High Five" 18/03/2025 SSO
  • USA Kinéis 4A (Kinéis)
  • USA Kinéis 4B (Kinéis)
  • USA Kinéis 4C (Kinéis)
  • USA Kinéis 4D (Kinéis)
  • USA Kinéis 4E (Kinéis)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
60 "Finding Hot
Wildfires Near You"		 26/03/2025 SSO
  • Germany OTC P1-1 (OroraTech)
  • Germany OTC P1-2 (OroraTech)
  • Germany OTC P1-3 (OroraTech)
  • Germany OTC P1-4 (OroraTech)
  • Germany OTC P1-5 (OroraTech)
  • Germany OTC P1-6 (OroraTech)
  • Germany OTC P1-7 (OroraTech)
  • Germany OTC P1-8 (OroraTech)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
61 "The Sea
God Seas"		 17/05/2025 LEO
  • USA QPS-SAR-10 (iQPS)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
62 "Full Stream
Ahead"		 02/06/2025 LEO
  • USA BlackSky Gen. 3 (BlackSky Global)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
63 "The Mountain
God Guards"		 11/06/2025 LEO
  • USA QPS-SAR-11 (iQPS)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
64 "Get The Hawk
Outta Here"		 26/06/2025 LEO
  • USA Hawk 12A (HawkEye 360)
  • USA Hawk 12B (HawkEye 360)
  • USA Hawk 12C (HawkEye 360)
  • USA Kestrel 0A (HawkEye 360)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
65 "Symphonie
In The Stars"		 28/06/2025 LEO
  • USA Lyra 4 (Astro Digital)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
66 "The Harvest
Goddess Thrives"		 05/08/2025 LEO
  • USA QPS-SAR-12 (iQPS)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
67 "Live, Laugh,
Launch"		 23/08/2025 LEO
  • USA Calistus A (E-Space)
  • USA Calistus B (E-Space)
  • USA Calistus C (E-Space)
  • USA Calistus D (E-Space)
  • USA Calistus E (E-Space)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
68 "Owl New World" 14/10/2025 SSO
  • USA StriX-25 (Synspective)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
69 "The Nation
God Navigates"		 05/11/2025 LEO
  • USA QPS-SAR-14 (iQPS)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
70 "Follow My
Speed"		 20/11/2025 LEO
  • USA BlackSky Gen. 3 (BlackSky Global)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
71 "RAISE
And Shine"		 14/12/2025 LEO
  • USA RAISE-4 (JAXA)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
72 "Don't Be
Such A Square"		 18/12/2025 Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport
(USA)		 LEO
  • USA STP-S30 (US Space Force)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success
73 "The Wisdom
God Guides"		 21/12/2025 LEO
  • USA QPS-SAR-15 (iQPS)
 Rocket Lab Video

Success

Images: Rocket Lab

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Kris Christiaens's Avatar

Kris Christiaens

This article was published by FutureSpaceFlight founder and chief editor Kris Christiaens. Kris Christiaens has been passionate and fascinated by spaceflight and space exploration all his life and has written hundreds of articles on space projects, the commercial space industry and space missions over the past 20 years for magazines, books and websites. In late 2021, he founded the website FutureSpaceFlight with the goal of promoting new space companies and commercial space projects and compiling news of these start-ups and companies on one website.