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Rocket LabElectronRocket Lab Launch Complex 1B, Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
Rocket Like A Hurricane (TROPICS-2)
Launched
May 8, 2023 · 01:00 UTC
Summary
TROPICS-2 launched on a Rocket Lab Electron from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B, Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand on May 8, 2023 at 01:00 UTC. The launch window ran from 01:00 to 03:00 UTC. It was Rocket Lab's 36th launch, 4th this year and humanity's 6,435th orbital launch attempt. It was the 36th Electron flight and the 4th this year. Booster 36 flew for the 1st time and was expended. The payload was bound for low Earth orbit (LEO). TROPICS SV05, one of 4 catalogued objects, reached a 546 × 562 km orbit inclined 32.7°. 4 objects from this launch are catalogued, 2 of them payloads.
- Watch
- Vehicle
- Electron · Rocket Lab
- Booster
- 36 · flight 1 · expendable4/6 landed here
- Mission
- Earth Science · Low Earth Orbit (LEO)for NASA
- Milestone
- 36th Electron flight · 4th this yearRocket Lab's 36th launch4th this yearhumanity's 6,435th orbital launch attempt67th orbital launch attempt this year
Webcast
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
TROPICS SV05 · NORAD 56442 · 2023-062 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 4 objects
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- TBA - TO BE ASSIGNED
- Object ID
- 2023-062A
- Epoch
- 2023-05-08 08:14:58 UTC
- Mean motion
- 15.06448554 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.0011943
- Inclination
- 32.7327°
- Ascending node
- 147.5231°
- Arg. of perigee
- 222.7998°
- Mean anomaly
- 224.7097°
- Element set
- 999
- Rev at epoch
- 3
- 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
4 catalogued: 2 payloads, 2 rocket stages; none still in orbit
- TROPICS SV05 · NORAD 56442 · re-entered December 4, 2025
- TROPICS SV06 · NORAD 56444 · re-entered October 25, 2025
Electron 36 Kick Stage · re-entered April 12, 2025
Electron 36 Stage 2 · re-entered October 11, 2025
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
Third and fourth operational (TROPICS-04 & TROPICS-05) satellites for NASA's Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation Structure and Storm Intensity with a Constellation of SmallSats (TROPICS) mission. The CubeSats are designed to provide rapid-refresh microwave measurements that can be used to determine temperature, pressure, and humidity inside hurricanes as they form and evolve.
Related page: www.rocketlabusa.comRelated page: Rocket Like A HurricaneRelated page: NASA Awards Launch Services Task Order for TROPICS CubeSats MissionRelated page: Awards Launch Service Contract for TROPICS Mission
Pad
Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B, Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
8th launch from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B, 2nd this year · 34th from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
Local pad time at liftoff: May 8, 1:00 PM GMT+12, in daylight
41 launches from this pad · 84 from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
44 days after the previous launch from this pad
All launches from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New ZealandOpen in maps
Updates
Both TROPICS satellites have deployed from the Electron kickstage
Show 9 earlier updates
Liftoff of Electron carrying 2 NASA TROPICS satellite
Jay · 5/8/2023
Livestream has started
LL2 · 5/8/2023 · source
New launch date confirmed.
Cosmic_Penguin · 5/5/2023 · source
Delayed again due to weather, new date will be determined after the storm passes.
Jay · 5/1/2023 · source
Launch delayed to NET May 3rd as teams monitor a storm at the launch site.
Jay · 4/28/2023 · source
Setting GO. Rocket Lab has confirmed they have moved the mission to LC-1 in New Zealand
Jay · 4/10/2023 · source
Updating launch vehicle, provider, and pad. Launch NET May 1, 2023.
Nosu · 11/23/2022 · source
NET 2023; rocket configuration will be updated later on DB
Cosmic_Penguin · 8/4/2022 · source
NET April
Nosu · 3/25/2022 · source
Questions
When did TROPICS-2 launch?
TROPICS-2 launched on May 8, 2023 at 01:00 UTC. The launch window ran from 01:00 to 03:00 UTC.
Where can I watch TROPICS-2?
Coverage: Rocket Lab 'Rocket Like a Hurricane' Launch. Watch the replay
What rocket launched TROPICS-2?
Electron, flown by Rocket Lab. Electron spec sheet
Where did TROPICS-2 launch from?
Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B, Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand. Liftoff was May 8, 1:00 PM GMT+12 local time at the pad.
Did the booster land?
Booster 36 flew for the 1st time and was expended.
What orbit did TROPICS-2 reach?
TROPICS SV05, one of 4 catalogued objects, reached a 546 × 562 km orbit inclined 32.7°.
How many satellites did TROPICS-2 launch?
2 payloads from this launch are catalogued, none of them still in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).