Padside
Menu

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

Virginia is for Launch Lovers (Hawk 6A-C)

Launched

January 24, 2023

Launch SuccessfulWeather 85% go
Virginia is for Launch Lovers Patch

Summary

Virginia is for Launch Lovers (Hawk 6A-C) launched on a Rocket Lab Electron from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2 (Launch Area 0 C), Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia, USA on January 24, 2023. It was Rocket Lab's 33rd launch, 1st this year and humanity's 6,381st orbital launch attempt. It was the 33rd Electron flight and the 1st this year. Booster 33 flew for the 1st time and was expended. The payload was bound for low Earth orbit (LEO). Hawk 6B, one of 5 catalogued objects, reached a 556 × 560 km orbit inclined 40.5°. 5 objects from this launch are catalogued, 3 of them payloads.

Watch
Vehicle
Electron · Rocket Lab
Booster
  • 33 · flight 1 · expendable38/42 landed here
Mission
Dedicated Rideshare · Low Earth Orbit (LEO)for he360
Milestone
33rd Electron flight · 1st this yearRocket Lab's 33rd launch1st this yearhumanity's 6,381st orbital launch attempt13th orbital launch attempt this year

Webcast

Replay
Watch on YouTube

Flight preview

Simulate in Flight Club

Orbit: as tracked

40.5°Inclination
556 × 560 kmPerigee × apogeefrom mean elements
95.7 minPeriodfrom mean elements
276.5°Ascending node
1359 d agoElement epoch2023-01-25 10:32 UTC · stale

Hawk 6B · NORAD 55324 · 2023-011 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 5 objects

Show the numbers for orbit elements
Object
OBJECT A
Object ID
2023-011A
Epoch
2023-01-25 10:32:28 UTC
Mean motion
15.05179864 rev/day
Eccentricity
0.0002959
Inclination
40.5059°
Ascending node
276.5452°
Arg. of perigee
252.539°
Mean anomaly
290.6897°
Element set
999
Rev at epoch
6
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; 3 still in orbit

  • Hawk 6B · NORAD 55324 · in orbit
  • Hawk 6C · NORAD 55326 · in orbit
  • Hawk 6A · NORAD 55327 · in orbit

Electron 33 Kick Stage · re-entered October 20, 2025

Electron 33 Stage 2 · re-entered May 27, 2023

Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org

About this launch

Rideshare mission with 3 HawkEye 360 satellites.

Related page: www.rocketlabusa.com

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

1st launch from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2 (Launch Area 0 C), 1st this year · 74th from Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia, USA

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

under an hour after the previous launch from this pad

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

Updates

Success confirmed

SwGustav · Jan 25, 2023 · source

Show 9 earlier updates

  • Liftoff

    SwGustav · 1/24/2023 · source

  • Coverage live

    SwGustav · 1/24/2023 · source

  • 24 hour delay due to weather.

    scottm3 · 1/23/2023 · source

  • Weather 85% GO

    Cosmic_Penguin · 1/21/2023 · source

  • Targeting between January 23 23:00 UTC and January 24 01:00 UTC

    Nosu · 1/11/2023 · source

  • Now targeting January due to strong upper-level winds

    Jay · 12/19/2022 · source

  • NET December 20 LT

    Cosmic_Penguin · 12/19/2022 · source

  • Scrub due to weather, 24 hour recycle

    SwGustav · 12/19/2022 · source

  • Coverage live

    SwGustav · 12/18/2022 · source

Questions

When did Virginia is for Launch Lovers (Hawk 6A-C) launch?

Virginia is for Launch Lovers (Hawk 6A-C) launched on January 24, 2023. The time is known to the hour, not the minute.

Where can I watch Virginia is for Launch Lovers (Hawk 6A-C)?

Coverage: Rocket Lab Debut Launch from LC-2 - 'Virginia Is For Launch Lovers'. Watch the replay

What rocket launched Virginia is for Launch Lovers (Hawk 6A-C)?

Electron, flown by Rocket Lab. Electron spec sheet

Where did Virginia is for Launch Lovers (Hawk 6A-C) launch from?

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

Did the booster land?

Booster 33 flew for the 1st time and was expended.

What orbit did Virginia is for Launch Lovers (Hawk 6A-C) reach?

Hawk 6B, one of 5 catalogued objects, reached a 556 × 560 km orbit inclined 40.5°.

How many satellites did Virginia is for Launch Lovers (Hawk 6A-C) launch?

3 payloads from this launch are catalogued, 3 of them still in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).