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Rocket LabElectronRocket Lab Launch Complex 1A, Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
Daughter Of The Stars (LEO-PNT Pathfinder A)
Launched
March 28, 2026 · 09:14 UTC
Summary
Daughter Of The Stars (LEO-PNT Pathfinder A) launched on a Rocket Lab Electron from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A, Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand on March 28, 2026 at 09:14 UTC. It was Rocket Lab's 85th launch, 6th this year and humanity's 7,242nd orbital launch attempt. It was the 85th Electron flight and the 6th this year. The payload was bound for Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO). LPTNSAT-001, one of 4 catalogued objects, reached a 507 × 529 km orbit inclined 97.4°. 4 objects from this launch are catalogued, 2 of them payloads.
- Watch
- Rocket Lab - 'Daughter Of The Stars' LaunchRocket Lab
- ESA’s Celeste mission launch 1European Space Agency, ESA
- Vehicle
- Electron · Rocket Lab
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Navigation · Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO)for ESA
- Milestone
- 85th Electron flight · 6th this yearRocket Lab's 85th launch6th this yearhumanity's 7,242nd orbital launch attempt69th orbital launch attempt this year
Webcast
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
LPTNSAT-001 · NORAD 68408 · 2026-065 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 4 objects
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- TBA - TO BE ASSIGNED
- Object ID
- 2026-065A
- Epoch
- 2026-03-28 22:34:26 UTC
- Mean motion
- 15.18211376 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.0015809
- Inclination
- 97.4112°
- Ascending node
- 330.1101°
- Arg. of perigee
- 287.1112°
- Mean anomaly
- 72.839°
- Element set
- 999
- Rev at epoch
- 8
- B*
- 0.000070532
Perigee, apogee and period are Kepler figures from the catalogued mean elements, not a propagated state. Published orbit: SSO.
Catalogued objects
4 catalogued: 2 payloads, 2 rocket stages; 2 still in orbit
- LPTNSAT-001 · NORAD 68408 · in orbit
- LPTNSAT-002 · NORAD 68409 · in orbit
Electron 85 Stage 2 · re-entered April 3, 2026
Electron 85 Kick Stage · re-entered April 16, 2026
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
The European Space Agency (ESA)'s LEO-PNT (Low Earth Orbit Positioning, Navigation and Timing) demonstrator mission will feature a 10-satellite constellation demonstration mission that will assess how a low Earth orbit fleet of satellites can work in combination with the Galileo and EGNOS constellations in higher orbits that provide Europe’s own global navigation system. This launch will lift 2 “Pathfinder A” satellites built by Thales Alenia Space and GMV to a 510 km altitude Low Earth Orbit.
News
Pad
Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A, Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
39th launch from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A, 4th this year · 74th from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
Local pad time at liftoff: Mar 28, 10:14 PM GMT+13, at night
43 launches from this pad · 84 from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
22 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
Spacecraft separation.
Cosmic_Penguin · 3/28/2026 · source
Liftoff.
Cosmic_Penguin · 3/28/2026 · source
Official Webcast by Rocket Lab has started
LL2 · 3/28/2026 · source
GO for launch on March 28.
Cosmic_Penguin · 3/27/2026 · source
NET March 28 per new NOTAMs, to be confirmed.
Cosmic_Penguin · 3/26/2026 · source
Standing down due to weather conditions, new launch date TBD
Nosu · 3/25/2026 · source
New T-0.
Cosmic_Penguin · 3/25/2026 · source
Delayed to March 25.
Cosmic_Penguin · 3/21/2026 · source
Launch pad assigned.
Cosmic_Penguin · 3/20/2026 · source
Questions
When did Daughter Of The Stars (LEO-PNT Pathfinder A) launch?
Daughter Of The Stars (LEO-PNT Pathfinder A) launched on March 28, 2026 at 09:14 UTC.
Where can I watch Daughter Of The Stars (LEO-PNT Pathfinder A)?
Coverage: Rocket Lab - 'Daughter Of The Stars' Launch; ESA’s Celeste mission launch 1. Watch the replay
What rocket launched Daughter Of The Stars (LEO-PNT Pathfinder A)?
Electron, flown by Rocket Lab. Electron spec sheet
Where did Daughter Of The Stars (LEO-PNT Pathfinder A) launch from?
Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A, Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand. Liftoff was Mar 28, 10:14 PM GMT+13 local time at the pad.
What orbit did Daughter Of The Stars (LEO-PNT Pathfinder A) reach?
LPTNSAT-001, one of 4 catalogued objects, reached a 507 × 529 km orbit inclined 97.4°.
How many satellites did Daughter Of The Stars (LEO-PNT Pathfinder A) launch?
2 payloads from this launch are catalogued, 2 of them still in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).