A Data With Destiny
A Data With Destiny was a Rocket Lab Electron mission for BlackSky that launched successfully at 00:02 UTC on 9 December 2021 (1:02 p.m. NZDT on 9 December; 7:02 p.m. EST on 8 December) from Launch Complex 1A on New Zealand's Mahia Peninsula.
00:02 UTC on 9 December 2021 · 1:02 p.m. NZDT on 9 December · 7:02 p.m. EST on 8 December
Mission State
This mission currently has a dated launch window in the tracker.
The primary watch link points to an official Rocket Lab source.
Launch Updates
-
Launch success
by SwGustav Source: twitter.com -
New T-0
by Cosmic_Penguin Source: twitter.com -
New launch date due to weather.
by Cosmic_Penguin Source: twitter.com
Updates via Launch Library 2 (The Space Devs).
Name Origin
Pun on "a date with destiny," swapping "date" for "data" — a nod to BlackSky's data-gathering satellite constellation orbiting Earth on its destined path.
Mission Overview
Payload consists of two BlackSky Gen-2 high-resolution multi-spectral Earth observation satellites.
Technical Details
48
kiwis- A Data With Destiny rocketlabusa.com
Launch data cross-checked against Wikipedia.
Was this a jellyfish launch?
UnlikelySun 74° above the horizon at liftoff — daylight, the sky is too bright.
Details
- Unlikely
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Liftoff
- 1:02 p.m. NZDT · 00:02 UTC
- Sunset
- 8:26 p.m. NZDT · 07:26 UTC
- Civil dusk (−6°)
- 8:58 p.m. NZDT · 07:58 UTC
- Nautical dusk (−12°)
- 9:38 p.m. NZDT · 08:38 UTC
- Astronomical dusk (−18°)
- 10:25 p.m. NZDT · 09:25 UTC
Twilight times at the pad (Mahia, NZ) for the evening of the launch.
What's a rocket jellyfish? When a rocket launches in twilight, the ground is dark but its exhaust plume climbs into sunlight high above. The expanding plume glows against the dark sky in a jellyfish-like shape.
Space-Object Catalog
| Object | Operator | Built by | Mass | Orbit | Status | NORAD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Global-17 2021-120A · Payload | Operator BlackSky Global | Built by LeoStella LLC (SFLIN/THALES) BSky | Mass 55 kg | Orbit 379 × 402 km · 42.0° | Status On orbit | NORAD 49949 |
Global-16 2021-120B · Payload | Operator BlackSky Global | Built by LeoStella LLC (SFLIN/THALES) BSky | Mass 55 kg | Orbit 388 × 409 km · 42.0° | Status On orbit | NORAD 49950 |
Electron TopHat adapter 2021-120C · Debris | Operator Rocket Lab Ltd. | Built by Rocket Lab Ltd. TopHat | Mass 20 kg | Orbit 204 × 211 km · 42.0° | Status Decayed 2022-03-21 | NORAD 49951 |
Electron 23 Stage 2 2021-120D · Stage | Operator Rocket Lab Ltd. | Built by Rocket Lab Ltd. Electron St2 | Mass 250 kg | Orbit 132 × 152 km · 42.0° | Status Decayed 2021-12-17 | NORAD 49952 |
Electron 23 Kick Stage 2021-120E · Stage | Operator Rocket Lab Ltd. | Built by Rocket Lab Ltd. Kick Stage | Mass 40 kg | Orbit 144 × 213 km · 42.0° | Status Decayed 2021-12-14 | NORAD 49953 |
