Rocket LabElectronRocket Lab Launch Complex 1B, Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
Beginning Of The Swarm (ACS3 & NeonSat-1)
Launched
April 23, 2024 · 22:32 UTC
Image: Rocket Lab
Summary
Beginning Of The Swarm (ACS3 & NeonSat-1) launched on a Rocket Lab Electron from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B, Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand on April 23, 2024 at 22:32 UTC. The launch window ran from 22:00 to 23:00 UTC. It was Rocket Lab's 47th launch, 5th this year and humanity's 6,667th orbital launch attempt. It was the 47th Electron flight and the 5th this year. The payload was bound for Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO). Neonsat-1, one of 4 catalogued objects, reached a 512 × 535 km orbit inclined 97.4°. 4 objects from this launch are catalogued, 2 of them payloads.
- Watch
- Vehicle
- Electron · Rocket Lab
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Dedicated Rideshare · Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO)for KAIST, NASA
- Milestone
- 47th Electron flight · 5th this yearRocket Lab's 47th launch5th this yearhumanity's 6,667th orbital launch attempt78th orbital launch attempt this year
Webcast
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
Neonsat-1 · NORAD 59587 · 2024-077 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 4 objects
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- TBA - TO BE ASSIGNED
- Object ID
- 2024-077A
- Epoch
- 2024-04-24 01:19:46 UTC
- Mean motion
- 15.16545504 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.001699
- Inclination
- 97.4122°
- Ascending node
- 195.8194°
- Arg. of perigee
- 277.3885°
- Mean anomaly
- 201.9156°
- Element set
- 999
- Rev at epoch
- 1
- B*
- 0
Perigee, apogee and period are Kepler figures from the catalogued mean elements, not a propagated state. Published orbit: SSO.
Flight timeline
- T−2MStartup
- T−2SIgnition
- T−0Liftoff
- T+55SSupersonic
- T+1M7SMax-Q
- T+2M24SMECO
- T+2M28SStage 2 Separation
- T+2M31SSES
- T+3M7SFairing Separation
- T+6M21SBattery Hotswap
- T+9M11SSECO
- T+9M15SKick Stage Separation
- T+47M9SKick Stage Ignition
- T+49M16SKick Stage Cut-off
- T+50M6SPayload Deployment Sequence Start
- T+1H45M36SPayload Deployment Sequence End
Catalogued objects
4 catalogued: 2 payloads, 2 rocket stages; 3 still in orbit
- Neonsat-1 · NORAD 59587 · in orbit
- ACS3 · NORAD 59588 · in orbit
Electron 47 Stage 2 · re-entered April 29, 2024
Electron 47 Kick Stage · in orbit
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
NASA's Advanced Composite Solar Sail System (ACS3) is a technology demonstration mission tasked with deploying a composite boom solar sail. NeonSat-1 is a high-resolution optical satellite by South Korea's KAIST that will be deployed as a technology demonstration for a planned future Earth observation constellation.
Pad
Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B, Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
17th launch from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B, 4th this year · 43rd from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
Local pad time at liftoff: Apr 24, 10:32 AM GMT+12, in daylight
41 launches from this pad · 84 from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
42 days after the previous launch from this pad
All launches from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New ZealandOpen in maps
Updates
Launch success.
Show 9 earlier updates
Both payloads have been deployed.
Cosmic_Penguin · 4/24/2024 · source
Liftoff.
Cosmic_Penguin · 4/23/2024 · source
New T-0.
Cosmic_Penguin · 4/23/2024 · source
Holding at T-12 minutes for ground systems issue.
Cosmic_Penguin · 4/23/2024 · source
Official Webcast by Rocket Lab has started
LL2 · 4/23/2024 · source
New T-0.
Cosmic_Penguin · 4/23/2024 · source
Tweaked launch window.
Cosmic_Penguin · 4/19/2024 · source
Reverted back to April 23 UTC.
Cosmic_Penguin · 4/18/2024 · source
NET April 24.
Cosmic_Penguin · 4/17/2024 · source
Questions
When did Beginning Of The Swarm (ACS3 & NeonSat-1) launch?
Beginning Of The Swarm (ACS3 & NeonSat-1) launched on April 23, 2024 at 22:32 UTC. The launch window ran from 22:00 to 23:00 UTC.
Where can I watch Beginning Of The Swarm (ACS3 & NeonSat-1)?
Coverage: Rocket Lab - 'Beginning Of The Swarm' Launch. Watch the replay
What rocket launched Beginning Of The Swarm (ACS3 & NeonSat-1)?
Electron, flown by Rocket Lab. Electron spec sheet
Where did Beginning Of The Swarm (ACS3 & NeonSat-1) launch from?
Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B, Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand. Liftoff was Apr 24, 10:32 AM GMT+12 local time at the pad.
What orbit did Beginning Of The Swarm (ACS3 & NeonSat-1) reach?
Neonsat-1, one of 4 catalogued objects, reached a 512 × 535 km orbit inclined 97.4°.
How many satellites did Beginning Of The Swarm (ACS3 & NeonSat-1) launch?
2 payloads from this launch are catalogued, 2 of them still in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).