Padside
Menu

Rocket LabElectronRocket Lab Launch Complex 2 (Launch Area 0 C), Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia, USA

Don't Be Such A Square (STP-S30)

Launched

December 18, 2025 · 05:03 UTC

Launch SuccessfulWeather 80% go
Don't Be Such A Square Patch

Summary

Don't Be Such A Square (STP-S30) launched on a Rocket Lab Electron from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2 (Launch Area 0 C), Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia, USA on December 18, 2025 at 05:03 UTC. The launch window ran from 05:00 to 09:00 UTC. It was Rocket Lab's 78th launch, 20th this year and humanity's 7,161st orbital launch attempt. It was the 78th Electron flight and the 20th this year. The payload was bound for low Earth orbit (LEO). DiskSat C, one of 6 catalogued objects, reached a 553 × 559 km orbit inclined 45.0°. 6 objects from this launch are catalogued, 4 of them payloads.

Watch
Vehicle
Electron · Rocket Lab
Booster
No booster details on record.
Mission
Technology · Low Earth Orbit (LEO)for USSF
Milestone
78th Electron flight · 20th this yearRocket Lab's 78th launch20th this yearhumanity's 7,161st orbital launch attempt312th orbital launch attempt this year

Webcast

Replay
Watch on YouTube

Flight preview

Simulate in Flight Club

Orbit: as tracked

45.0°Inclination
553 × 559 kmPerigee × apogeefrom mean elements
95.6 minPeriodfrom mean elements
321.3°Ascending node
302 d agoElement epoch2025-12-18 06:11 UTC · stale

DiskSat C · NORAD 67219 · 2025-305 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 6 objects

Show the numbers for orbit elements
Object
TBA - TO BE ASSIGNED
Object ID
2025-305A
Epoch
2025-12-18 06:11:23 UTC
Mean motion
15.05868419 rev/day
Eccentricity
0.0004355
Inclination
45.0103°
Ascending node
321.2665°
Arg. of perigee
276.2808°
Mean anomaly
83.7571°
Element set
999
Rev at epoch
1
B*
0.000064033

Perigee, apogee and period are Kepler figures from the catalogued mean elements, not a propagated state. Published orbit: LEO.

Flight timeline

15 steps, T−2 min to T+55 min 30 s
  1. T−2MStartup
  2. T−2SIgnition
  3. T−0Liftoff
  4. T+1M11SSupersonic
  5. T+1M14SMax-Q
  6. T+2M40SMECO
  7. T+2M44SStage 2 Separation
  8. T+2M47SSES
  9. T+3M41SFairing Separation
  10. T+6M40SBattery Hotswap
  11. T+9M19SSECO
  12. T+9M23SKick Stage Separation
  13. T+53M44SKick Stage Ignition
  14. T+55M30SKick Stage Cut-off
  15. T+55M30SPayload Separation

Catalogued objects

6 catalogued: 4 payloads, 2 rocket stages; 4 still in orbit

  • DiskSat C · NORAD 67219 · in orbit
  • DiskSat B · NORAD 67220 · in orbit
  • DiskSat D · NORAD 67221 · in orbit
  • DiskSat A · NORAD 67222 · in orbit

Electron 78 Kick Stage · re-entered April 2, 2026

Electron 78 Stage 2 · re-entered January 7, 2026

Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org

About this launch

STP-S30 is a complex mission that will deliver research experiments and technology demonstrations to orbit for the DoD and contribute to future space systems development. The projected primary payload, DISKSat, will demonstrate sustained very low earth orbit (VLEO) flight and test a unique, 1-meter diameter, disk-shaped satellite bus that is designed to increase on-orbit persistence.

Pad

Map of Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2 (Launch Area 0 C)

Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2 (Launch Area 0 C), Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia, USA

10th launch from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2 (Launch Area 0 C), 4th this year · 84th from Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia, USA

Local pad time at liftoff: Dec 18, 12:03 AM EST, at night

13 launches from this pad · 87 from Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia, USA

29 days after the previous launch from this pad

All launches from Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia, USAOpen in maps

Updates

Launch success.

Cosmic_Penguin · Dec 18, 2025 · source

Show 9 earlier updates

  • All 4 spacecraft has separated.

    Cosmic_Penguin · 12/18/2025 · source

  • Liftoff.

    Cosmic_Penguin · 12/18/2025 · source

  • Tweaked T-0 and weather forecast.

    Cosmic_Penguin · 12/18/2025 · source

  • Updated launch weather, 70% GO.

    Cosmic_Penguin · 12/18/2025 · source

  • GO for launch.

    Cosmic_Penguin · 12/16/2025 · source

  • GO for launch (launch window is per https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=63362.msg2742010#msg2742010).

    Cosmic_Penguin · 12/10/2025 · source

  • Moved back to NET December with appearance of possible marine navigation warnings NET December 18; to be confirmed as for this launch.

    Cosmic_Penguin · 12/3/2025 · source

  • NET December 8.

    Cosmic_Penguin · 10/25/2025 · source

  • NET late 2025.

    Cosmic_Penguin · 8/11/2025 · source

Questions

When did Don't Be Such A Square (STP-S30) launch?

Don't Be Such A Square (STP-S30) launched on December 18, 2025 at 05:03 UTC. The launch window ran from 05:00 to 09:00 UTC.

Where can I watch Don't Be Such A Square (STP-S30)?

Coverage: Rocket Lab - 'Don't Be Such A Square' Launch; Rocket Lab Electron launches "Don't Be Such a Square" Mission. Watch the replay

What rocket launched Don't Be Such A Square (STP-S30)?

Electron, flown by Rocket Lab. Electron spec sheet

Where did Don't Be Such A Square (STP-S30) launch from?

Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2 (Launch Area 0 C), Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia, USA. Liftoff was Dec 18, 12:03 AM EST local time at the pad.

What orbit did Don't Be Such A Square (STP-S30) reach?

DiskSat C, one of 6 catalogued objects, reached a 553 × 559 km orbit inclined 45.0°.

How many satellites did Don't Be Such A Square (STP-S30) launch?

4 payloads from this launch are catalogued, 4 of them still in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).