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Rocket LabElectronRocket Lab Launch Complex 1A, Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand

That's a Funny Looking Cactus (STP-27RD)

Launched

May 5, 2019

Launch Successful
STP-27RD Patch

Summary

That's a Funny Looking Cactus (STP-27RD) launched on a Rocket Lab Electron from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A, Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand on May 5, 2019. It was Rocket Lab's 6th launch, 2nd this year and humanity's 5,849th orbital launch attempt. It was the 6th Electron flight and the 2nd this year. The payload was bound for low Earth orbit (LEO). AFOTEC-1, one of 5 catalogued objects, reached a 492 × 519 km orbit inclined 40.0°. 5 objects from this launch are catalogued, 3 of them payloads.

Booster
No booster details on record.
Mission
Dedicated Rideshare · Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
Milestone
6th Electron flight · 2nd this yearRocket Lab's 6th launch2nd this yearhumanity's 5,849th orbital launch attempt29th orbital launch attempt this year

Webcast

Replay
Watch on YouTube

Flight preview

Orbit: as tracked

40.0°Inclination
492 × 519 kmPerigee × apogeefrom mean elements
94.6 minPeriodfrom mean elements
235.0°Ascending node
2721 d agoElement epoch2019-05-05 08:04 UTC · stale

AFOTEC-1 · NORAD 44225 · 2019-026 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 5 objects

Show the numbers for orbit elements
Object
TBA - TO BE ASSIGNED
Object ID
2019-026A
Epoch
2019-05-05 08:04:46 UTC
Mean motion
15.22559906 rev/day
Eccentricity
0.0019985
Inclination
40.0222°
Ascending node
235.0134°
Arg. of perigee
256.9229°
Mean anomaly
103.46°
Element set
999
Rev at epoch
0
B*
0

Perigee, apogee and period are Kepler figures from the catalogued mean elements, not a propagated state. Published orbit: LEO. Ascent drawn from padside's representative profile.

Catalogued objects

5 catalogued: 3 payloads, 2 rocket stages; none still in orbit

  • AFOTEC-1 · NORAD 44225 · re-entered March 20, 2024
  • SPARC-1 · NORAD 44226 · re-entered June 26, 2023
  • Harbinger · NORAD 44229 · re-entered March 9, 2024

Electron 6 Kick Stage · re-entered September 15, 2023

Electron 6 Stage 2 · re-entered May 17, 2019

Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org

About this launch

The mission has been procured by the DoD Space Test Program in partnership with Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) as part of its Rapid Agile Launch Initiative .The payload consists of three satellites, SPARC-1, Falcon ODE and Harbinger, that will deployed in a precise sequence. The Space Plug and Play Architecture Research CubeSat-1 (SPARC-1) mission, sponsored by the Air Force Research Laboratory Space Vehicles Directorate (AFRL/RV), is a joint Swedish-United States experiment to explore technology developments in avionics miniaturization, software defined radio systems, and space situational awareness (SSA). The Falcon Orbital Debris Experiment (Falcon ODE), sponsored by the United States Air Force Academy, will evaluate ground-based tracking of space objects. Harbinger, a commercial small satellite built by York Space Systems and sponsored by the U.S Army, will demonstrate the ability of an experimental commercial system to meet DoD space capability requirements.

Pad

Map of Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A

Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A, Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand

6th launch from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A, 2nd this year · 6th from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand

43 launches from this pad · 84 from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand

37 days after the previous launch from this pad

Questions

When did That's a Funny Looking Cactus (STP-27RD) launch?

That's a Funny Looking Cactus (STP-27RD) launched on May 5, 2019. The time is known to the hour, not the minute.

Where can I watch That's a Funny Looking Cactus (STP-27RD)?

Coverage: STP-27RD Launch - 05/05/2019. Watch the replay

What rocket launched That's a Funny Looking Cactus (STP-27RD)?

Electron, flown by Rocket Lab. Electron spec sheet

Where did That's a Funny Looking Cactus (STP-27RD) launch from?

Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A, Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand.

What orbit did That's a Funny Looking Cactus (STP-27RD) reach?

AFOTEC-1, one of 5 catalogued objects, reached a 492 × 519 km orbit inclined 40.0°.

How many satellites did That's a Funny Looking Cactus (STP-27RD) launch?

3 payloads from this launch are catalogued, none of them still in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).