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Rocket LabElectronRocket Lab Launch Complex 1B, Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
The Moon God Awakens (QPS-SAR-5)
Launched
December 15, 2023 · 04:05 UTC
Summary
The Moon God Awakens (QPS-SAR-5) launched on a Rocket Lab Electron from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B, Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand on December 15, 2023 at 04:05 UTC. The launch window ran from 04:00 to 06:00 UTC. It was Rocket Lab's 42nd launch, 10th this year and humanity's 6,573rd orbital launch attempt. It was the 42nd Electron flight and the 10th this year. Booster 42 flew for the 1st time and was expended. The payload was bound for low Earth orbit (LEO). Tsukuyomi-I, one of 3 catalogued objects, reached a 581 × 590 km orbit inclined 42.0°. 3 objects from this launch are catalogued, one of them a payload.
- Watch
- Rocket Lab 'The Moon God Awakens' LaunchRocket Lab
- Vehicle
- Electron · Rocket Lab
- Booster
- 42 · flight 1 · expendable4/6 landed here
- Mission
- Earth Science · Low Earth Orbit (LEO)for iQPS
- Milestone
- 42nd Electron flight · 10th this yearRocket Lab's 42nd launch10th this yearhumanity's 6,573rd orbital launch attempt205th orbital launch attempt this year
Webcast
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
Tsukuyomi-I · NORAD 58578 · 2023-196 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 3 objects
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- TBA - TO BE ASSIGNED
- Object ID
- 2023-196A
- Epoch
- 2023-12-15 06:45:58 UTC
- Mean motion
- 14.96205223 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.0006456
- Inclination
- 42.017°
- Ascending node
- 78.5285°
- Arg. of perigee
- 274.6892°
- Mean anomaly
- 201.6441°
- 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: LEO. Ascent drawn from padside's representative profile.
Catalogued objects
3 catalogued: 1 payload, 2 rocket stages; 2 still in orbit
- Tsukuyomi-I · NORAD 58578 · in orbit
Electron 42 Kick Stage · in orbit
Electron 42 Stage 2 · re-entered January 12, 2024
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
QPS-SAR-5 is a synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) satellite that will join a constellation after QPS-SAR-6 already in orbit. iQPS’s satellites are small, high-performance SAR satellites that use a lightweight, large, stowable antenna to collect high resolution images of Earth, even through clouds and adverse weather conditions.
Pad
Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B, Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
13th launch from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B, 7th this year · 39th from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
Local pad time at liftoff: Dec 15, 5:05 PM GMT+13, in daylight
41 launches from this pad · 84 from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
86 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 w/ main payload in contact.
Show 9 earlier updates
Liftoff.
Cosmic_Penguin · 12/15/2023 · source
Count resumed.
Cosmic_Penguin · 12/15/2023 · source
Holding at T-12 minutes.
Cosmic_Penguin · 12/15/2023 · source
Livestream has started
LL2 · 12/15/2023 · source
Delayed to December 15 due to launch site winds.
Cosmic_Penguin · 12/12/2023 · source
NET December 13.
Cosmic_Penguin · 11/26/2023 · source
Updated launch pad.
Cosmic_Penguin · 11/22/2023 · source
Adding launch window and setting GO
Nosu · 11/8/2023 · source
Targeting NET November 28 for the Electron return to flight mission.
Nosu · 11/8/2023 · source
Questions
When did The Moon God Awakens (QPS-SAR-5) launch?
The Moon God Awakens (QPS-SAR-5) launched on December 15, 2023 at 04:05 UTC. The launch window ran from 04:00 to 06:00 UTC.
Where can I watch The Moon God Awakens (QPS-SAR-5)?
Coverage: Rocket Lab 'The Moon God Awakens' Launch. Watch the replay
What rocket launched The Moon God Awakens (QPS-SAR-5)?
Electron, flown by Rocket Lab. Electron spec sheet
Where did The Moon God Awakens (QPS-SAR-5) launch from?
Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B, Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand. Liftoff was Dec 15, 5:05 PM GMT+13 local time at the pad.
Did the booster land?
Booster 42 flew for the 1st time and was expended.
What orbit did The Moon God Awakens (QPS-SAR-5) reach?
Tsukuyomi-I, one of 3 catalogued objects, reached a 581 × 590 km orbit inclined 42.0°.
How many satellites did The Moon God Awakens (QPS-SAR-5) launch?
1 payload from this launch is catalogued, still in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).