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Electron | Catch Me If You Can (MATS)
Rocket LabLaunch Successful

Catch Me If You Can (MATS)

Electron

Historical mission record

This page records Electron | Catch Me If You Can (MATS) and its reported outcome: Launch Successful. The date above is a historical record.

Source record updated . This is a source update, not a confirmed launch time.

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Mission status
Launch Successful

Status reported by the mission data provider.

LAUNCH SITERocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand

Mission

The payload is a science research satellite by space systems provider OHB Sweden for the Swedish National Space Agency (SNSA). The Mesospheric Airglow/Aerosol Tomography and Spectroscopy (MATS) satellite is the basis for the SNSA’s science mission to investigate atmospheric waves and better understand how the upper layer of Earth’s atmosphere interacts with wind and weather patterns closer to the ground. MATS was originally due to fly on a Russian launch service before the mission was manifested on Rocket Lab’s Electron.

Launch vehicle
Electron
Mission type
Earth Science
Destination orbit
Sun-Synchronous Orbit
Launch pad
Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B
Provider
Rocket Lab
Recovery
Helicopter Catch, Helicopter capture of the Electron first stage was not achieved. +1

The vehicle

Published configuration and flight history.

Electron
Launch vehicle

Electron

Electron is a two-stage orbital expendable launch vehicle (with an optional third stage) developed by the American aerospace company Rocket Lab. Electron is a small-lift launch vehicle designed to launch small satellites and cubesats to sun-synchronous orbit and low earth orbit. The Electron is the first orbital class rocket to use electric-pump-fed engines, powered by the 9 Rutherford engines on the first stage. It is also used as a suborbital testbed (called HASTE) for hypersonics research.

Height
18 m
Diameter
1.2 m
Stages
3
Recorded launches
80
First flight
2017-05-25
32
Core

32

Flight 1NewLanding failed
Recovery
South Pacific
Landing method
Helicopter Catch

Recorded timing

This is a mission record, not an upcoming calendar appointment.

1h 15m windowPublished target
WINDOW OPENS
WINDOW CLOSES

Target ·

The target marker shows its position within the published window. The schedule may change before launch.

Launch site & orbit

Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand

The mission in perspective

Launch site & orbit

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Understand this orbit
NASA Blue Marble map of Earth's continents and oceans
Representative orbit · accelerated illustrationNo live tracking or simulated ascent. NASA Blue Marble.

Coverage & sources

Links supplied by the mission data provider.
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