List of Electron first stages

Last updated

An Electron first-stage booster is a reusable rocket stage used on the Rocket Lab Electron launch vehicle. [1] It is made of a carbon composite developed and manufactured by Rocket Lab. In 2019, Rocket Lab announced plans to recover and reuse the first stage of Electron despite previously dismissing the idea. Flight 16 was the first launch to test recovery procedures followed by Flight 20 which, despite a failed primary mission, still achieved a successful Splashdown recovery and Flight 22. On 5 April 2022, Rocket Lab announced that flight 26 would feature the first full recovery attempt with a helicopter catch. The flight launched on 2 May 2022 UTC from launch pad 1A in Mahīa. While the Sikorsky S-92 was able to intersect the booster mid-air, the booster was released at the pilot's discretion after an unexpectedly large increase in mass. The booster parachuted into the ocean where it was recovered by ship.

Contents

List of boosters

Inactive Electron/Curie

Serial number Flight number Flight nameDatePayloadMission statusLanding statusStatus
B1Flight 1It's a Test25 May 2017 Humanity Star Failure (LC-1A)No attemptDestroyed [2]
B2Flight 2Still Testing21 January 2018 Humanity Star, Dove Pioneer, & Lemur-2 [3] Success (LC-1A)No attemptExpended
B3Flight 3It's Business Time11 November 2018 Lemur-2, Irvine-01, CICERO, NABEO-1 & Proxima [4] Success (LC-1A)No attemptExpended
B4Flight 4This One's for Pickering16 December 2018 ELeNa XIX [5] Success (LC-1A)No attemptExpended
B5Flight 5Two Thumbs Up28 March 2019 DARPA R3D2 [6] Success (LC-1A)No attemptExpended
B6Flight 6That's a Funny Looking Cactus5 May 2019 STP-27RD [7] Success (LC-1A)No attemptExpended
B7Flight 7Make It Rain29 June 2019 BlackSky-3, Prometheus, ACRUX-1, Painani-1 & SpaceBEE 8 & 9 [8] Success (LC-1A)No attemptExpended
B8Flight 8Look Ma, No Hands19 August 2019BRO-1, BlackSky-4 & Pearl White 1 & 2 [9] Success (LC-1A)No attemptExpended
B9Flight 9As the Crow Flies17 October 2019Palisade [10] Success (LC-1A)No attemptExpended
B10Flight 10Running Out of Fingers6 December 2019ATL-1, [11] Fossasat-1, NOOR 1A & 1B, SMOG-P, TRSI-SAT & ALE-2 [12] Success (LC-1A)No attemptExpended
B11Flight 11Birds of a Feather31 January 2020 NROL-151 [13] Success (LC-1A)No attemptExpended
B12Flight 12Don't Stop Me Now13 June 2020ANDESITE, M2-Pathfinder & 3 NRO Satellites [14] Success (LC-1A)No attemptExpended
B13Flight 13Pics Or It Didn't Happen4 July 2020CE-SAT-1B, Flock-4v & Faraday-1 [15] Failure (LC-1A) [16] No attemptExpended
B15Flight 15In Focus28 October 2020 Flock-4e & CE-SAT-2B [17] Success (LC-1A)No attemptExpended
B16Flight 16Return To Sender20 November 2020DRAGRACER, BRO-2 & 3, APSS-1, Spacebees & Gnome Chompski [18] Success (LC-1A)Success (splashdown) [19] Retired [20]
B17Flight 17The Owl's Night Begins15 December 2020StriX-α [21] Success (LC-1A)No attemptExpended
B18Flight 18Another One Leaves The Crust20 January 2021OHB Cosmos [22] Success (LC-1A)No attemptExpended
B20Flight 20Running Out of Toes15 May 2021BlackSky 8 & 9 [23] Failure (LC-1A) [24] Success (splashdown) [25] Retired [26]
B21Flight 21It's a Little Chile Up Here29 July 2021 STP-27RM (Monolith) [27] Success (LC-1A)No attemptExpended
B22Flight 22Love at First Insight18 November 2021BlackSky 10 & 11 [28] Success (LC-1A)Success (splashdown) [29] Retired [30]
B23Flight 23A Data With Destiny9 December 2021BlackSky 14 & 15 [31] Success (LC-1A)No attemptExpended
B24Flight 24The Owl's Night Continues28 February 2022StriX-b [32] Success (LC-1B)No attemptExpended
B25Flight 25Without Mission A Beat2 April 2022BlackSky 16 & 17 [33] Success (LC-1A)No attemptExpended
B26Flight 26There And Back Again2 May 2022Various Payloads [34] Success (LC-1A)Partial Success (Catch) [35] Retired [36]
B28Flight 28Wise One Looks Ahead13 July 2022 NROL-162 [37] Success (LC-1A)No attemptExpended
B29Flight 29Antipodean Adventure4 August 2022 NROL-199 [38] Success (LC-1B)No attemptExpended
B30Flight 30The Owl Spreads Its Wings15 September 2022Strix-1 [39] Success (LC-1B)No attemptExpended
B31Flight 31It Argos Up From Here7 October 2022Argos-4 (GAzelle) [40] Success (LC-1B)No attemptExpended
B32Flight 32Catch Me If You Can4 November 2022MATS [41] Success (LC-1B)Partial Success (Catch) [42] Retired [43]
B33Flight 33Virginia is for Launch Lovers24 January 2023 HawkEye 360 × 3Success (LC-2)No attemptExpended
B34Flight 34Stronger Together16 March 2023Capella 9 & 10Success (LC-2)No attemptExpended
B35Flight 35The Beat Goes On24 March 2023BlackSky 18 & 19 Gen 2Success (LC-1B)Success (splashdown)Retired
B36Flight 36Rocket Like A Hurricane8 May 2023 TROPICS × 2Success (LC-1B)No attemptExpended
B37Flight 37Coming To A Storm Near You26 May 2023 TROPICS × 2Success (LC-1B)No attemptExpended
B39Flight 39Baby Come Back18 July 2023Starling, LEO-3 & Lemur-2Success (LC-1B)Success (splashdown)Retired
B41Flight 40We Love The Nightlife24 August 2023 Acadia-1 Success (LC-1B)Success (splashdown)Retired
B40Flight 41We Will Never Desert You19 September 2023 Acadia-2 Failure (LC-1B)No attemptExpended
B42Flight 42The Moon God Awakens15 December 2023QPS-SAR-5Success (LC-1B)No attemptExpended
B44Flight 44On Closer Inspection18 February 2024ADRAS-JSuccess (LC-1B)No attemptExpended
B45Flight 45Owl Night Long9 March 2024Strix-3Success (LC-1B)No attemptExpended
B46Flight 46Live and Let Fly20 March 2024 NROL-123Success (LC-2)No attemptExpended
B47Flight 47Beginning Of The Swarm23 April 2024ACS-3 [44] & NeonSat-1Success (LC-1B)No attemptExpended
B48Flight 48Ready, Aim, PREFIRE25 May 2024PREFIRE Mission 1 [45] Success (LC-1B)No attemptExpended
B49Flight 49PREFIRE & Ice5 June 2024PREFIRE Mission 2 [46] Success (LC-1B)No attemptExpended
B50Flight 50No Time Toulouse20 June 2024Kinéis 1-5Success (LC-1B)No attemptExpended
B51Flight 51Owl For One, One For Owl2 August 2024Strix-4Success (LC-1B)No attemptExpended
B52Flight 52A Sky Full Of SARs11 August 2024 Acadia-3 Success (LC-1B)No attemptExpended
B53Flight 53Kinéis Killed The RadIoT Star21 September 2024Kinéis 6-10Success (LC-1A)No attemptExpended
B54Flight 54Changes In Latitudes, Changes In Attitudes5 November 2024Unknown PayloadSuccess (LC-1B)No attemptExpended
B56Flight 56Ice AIS Baby25 November 2024Kinéis 11-15Success (LC-1B)No attemptExpended
B58Flight 57Owl The Way Up17 December 2024Strix-2Success (LC-1B)No attemptExpended
B59Flight 59LOT 4 You and Me9 February 2025Kinéis 16-20Success (LC-1B)No attemptExpended
B60Flight 60Fasten Your Space Belts18 February 2025Blacksky 20 (Blacksky Global 22)Success (LC-1B)No attemptExpended

Active Electron/Curie

Serial number Flight number Flight nameDatePayloadMission statusLanding statusStatus
B43Flight 43Four Of A Kind31 January 2024SkylarkSuccess (LC-1B)Success (Splashdown)Awaiting Assignment

Electron/Photon

The Photon kick-stage is an optional extra on the Electron launch vehicle allowing for heavier payload capacity or higher altitudes/interplanetary missions. The kick-stage was first used on Electron's 14th flight (Rocket Lab's return to launch after the "Pics Or It Didn't Happen" failure).

Serial numberFlight numberFlight nameDatePayloadMission statusLanding statusStatus
B14Flight 14I Can't Believe It's Not Optical31 August 2020 Sequoia & First Light [47] Success (LC-1A)No attemptExpended
B19Flight 19They Go Up So Fast22 March 2021Gunsmoke-J, M2, Veery Hatchling, Myriota-7, Centauri-3 & BlackSky-7 [48] Success (LC-1A)No attemptExpended
B27Flight 27CAPSTONE28 June 2022CAPSTONESuccess (LC-1)No attemptExpended

Electron/HASTE

The HASTE launch vehicle is a sub-orbital testbed derived from the Electron launch vehicle. It has a third stage for suborbital deployment, and has an option of different fairings to use on the vehicle. HASTE is used for payloads that do not need an orbital capability, and it also services optional trajectories depending on the customer. Any HASTE launch will always have a first stage that is expended.

Serial number Flight number Flight nameDatePayloadMission status
B38Flight 38Scout's Arrow18 June 2023DYNAMO-ASuccess (LC-2)
B55Flight 55Leidos Mission 224 November 2024HIPPOSuccess (LC-2)
B57Flight 58STONEHENGE14 December 2024UnknownSuccess (LC-2)

References

  1. ↑ "Reusable Rockets". Rocket Lab. Retrieved 2024-02-05.
  2. ↑ "AFTS Triggered". Next Spaceflight.
  3. ↑ "Still Testing". Rocket Lab.
  4. ↑ "It's Business Time" (PDF). Rocket Lab.
  5. ↑ "This One's For Pickering" (PDF). Rocket Lab.
  6. ↑ "Two Thumbs Up" (PDF). Rocket Lab.
  7. ↑ "STP-27RD". Rocket Lab. Retrieved 2024-02-05.
  8. ↑ "Make It Rain" (PDF). Rocket Lab.
  9. ↑ "Look Ma, No Hands" (PDF). Rocket Lab.
  10. ↑ "As The Crow Flies" (PDF). Rocket Lab.
  11. ↑ "ATL-1". NASA.gov.
  12. ↑ "Running Out Of Fingers" (PDF). Rocket Lab.
  13. ↑ "Birds Of a Feather" (PDF). Rocket Lab.
  14. ↑ "Don't Stop Me Now" (PDF). Rocket Lab.
  15. ↑ "Pics Or It Didn't Happen" (PDF). Rocket Lab.
  16. ↑ "Launch Failure". Rocket Lab.
  17. ↑ "In Focus" (PDF). Rocket Lab.
  18. ↑ "Our Most Diverse Mission Yet". Rocket Lab.
  19. ↑ "Return To Sender". Rocket Lab.
  20. ↑ "Rocket Lab Returns Previously Flown Electron to Production Line in Preparation for First Reflight". businesswire.
  21. ↑ "The Owl's Night Begins" (PDF). Rocket Lab.
  22. ↑ "Another One Leaves the Crust" (PDF). Rocket Lab.
  23. ↑ "Running Out Of Toes" (PDF). Rocket Lab.
  24. ↑ "Running Out Of Toes Failure". Rocket Lab.
  25. ↑ "Running Out Of Toes Failure". Rocket Lab.
  26. ↑ "Rocket Lab Returns Previously Flown Electron to Production Line in Preparation for First Reflight". businesswire.
  27. ↑ "It's a Little Chile Up Here" (PDF). Rocket Lab.
  28. ↑ "Love At First Insight" (PDF). Rocket Lab.
  29. ↑ "Love At First Insight Splashdown". Rocket Lab.
  30. ↑ "Rocket Lab Returns Previously Flown Electron to Production Line in Preparation for First Reflight". businesswire.
  31. ↑ "A Data With Destiny" (PDF). Rocket Lab.
  32. ↑ "The Owl's Night Continues" (PDF). Rocket Lab.
  33. ↑ "Without Mission A Beat" (PDF). Rocket Lab.
  34. ↑ "There And Back Again" (PDF). Rocket Lab.
  35. ↑ "There And Back Again Catch". Rocket Lab.
  36. ↑ "Rocket Lab Returns Previously Flown Electron to Production Line in Preparation for First Reflight". businesswire.
  37. ↑ "Wise One Looks Ahead" (PDF). Rocket Lab.
  38. ↑ "Antipodean Adventure" (PDF). Rocket Lab.
  39. ↑ "The Owl Spreads Its Wings" (PDF). Rocket Lab.
  40. ↑ "It Argos Up From Here" (PDF). Rocket Lab.
  41. ↑ "Catch Me If You Can" (PDF). Rocket Lab.
  42. ↑ "Catch Me If You Can Failed Catch". Rocket Lab.
  43. ↑ "Rocket Lab Returns Previously Flown Electron to Production Line in Preparation for First Reflight". businesswire.
  44. ↑ "ACS3". NASA.
  45. ↑ "PREFIRE". NASA.
  46. ↑ "PREFIRE". NASA.
  47. ↑ "I Can't Believe It's Not Optical" (PDF). Rocket Lab.
  48. ↑ "100th Satellite". Rocket Lab.
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