Another One Leaves The Crust
Another One Leaves The Crust was a Rocket Lab Electron mission for OHB that launched successfully at 07:26 UTC on 20 January 2021 (8:26 p.m. NZDT on 20 January; 2:26 a.m. EST on 20 January) from Launch Complex 1A on New Zealand's Mahia Peninsula.
07:26 UTC on 20 January 2021 · 8:26 p.m. NZDT on 20 January · 2:26 a.m. EST on 20 January
Disclaimer: This livestream is from a third-party channel and is not an official Rocket Lab broadcast.
Mission State
This mission currently has a dated launch window in the tracker.
The current watch link is from a third-party source rather than Rocket Lab directly.
Launch Updates
-
Successful launch
by Nosu Source: twitter.com -
Updating T-0
by SwGustav Source: twitter.com -
Setting GO
by SwGustav Source: twitter.com
Updates via Launch Library 2 (The Space Devs).
Name Origin
Pun on Queen's "Another One Bites the Dust" — "Bites" becomes "Leaves" and "Dust" becomes "Crust" (Earth's surface). Rocket Lab's second Queen reference after "Don't Stop Me Now."
Mission Overview
Dedicated mission for a single communication microsatellite that will enable specific frequencies to support future services from orbit. The launch will be Rocket Lab’s 18th Electron mission.
Technical Details
20
kiwis- Another One Leaves The Crust rocketlabusa.com
Launch data cross-checked against Wikipedia.
Was this a jellyfish launch?
UnlikelySun 1° above the horizon at liftoff — daylight, the sky is too bright.
Details
- Unlikely
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Liftoff
- 8:26 p.m. NZDT · 07:26 UTC
- Sunset
- 8:33 p.m. NZDT · 07:33 UTC
- Civil dusk (−6°)
- 9:04 p.m. NZDT · 08:04 UTC
- Nautical dusk (−12°)
- 9:42 p.m. NZDT · 08:42 UTC
- Astronomical dusk (−18°)
- 10:24 p.m. NZDT · 09:24 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GMS-T 2021-004A · Payload | Operator OHB (Orbital Hochtechnologie Bremen System GmbH) / Shanghai Yuanxin Weixing Keji YG | Built by OHB (Orbital Hochtechnologie Bremen System GmbH) KLA | Mass 50 kg | Orbit 1,194 × 1,201 km · 90.1° | Status On orbit | NORAD 47346 |
Electron 18 Kick Stage 2021-004B · Stage | Operator Rocket Lab Ltd. | Built by Rocket Lab Ltd. Kick Stage | Mass 40 kg | Orbit 446 × 1,037 km · 90.1° | Status On orbit | NORAD 47347 |
Electron 18 Stage 2 2021-004C · Stage | Operator Rocket Lab Ltd. | Built by Rocket Lab Ltd. Electron St2 | Mass 250 kg | Orbit 138 × 175 km · 89.9° | Status Decayed 2021-09-16 | NORAD 47348 |