Don't Be Such A Square
Don't Be Such A Square was a Rocket Lab Electron mission for U.S. Space Force that launched successfully at 05:03 UTC on 18 December 2025 (6:03 p.m. NZDT on 18 December; 12:03 a.m. EST on 18 December) from Launch Complex 2 at Wallops Island, Virginia.
05:03 UTC on 18 December 2025 · 6:03 p.m. NZDT on 18 December · 12:03 a.m. EST on 18 December
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
-
Launch success.
by Cosmic_Penguin Source: nasa.gov -
All 4 spacecraft has separated.
by Cosmic_Penguin Source: youtube.com -
Liftoff.
by Cosmic_Penguin Source: youtube.com
Updates via Launch Library 2 (The Space Devs).
Name Origin
Double pun: the idiom "don't be a square" (don't be conventional) combined with literal geometry — the payload is DiskSat, disk-shaped spacecraft that are literally not squares.
Mission Overview
STP-S30 is a complex mission that will deliver research experiments and technology demonstrations to orbit for the DoD and contribute to future space systems development. The projected primary payload, DISKSat, will demonstrate sustained very low earth orbit (VLEO) flight and test a unique, 1-meter diameter, disk-shaped satellite bus that is designed to increase on-orbit persistence.
In the news
- Rocket Lab Executes Successful Launch of STP-S30 Mission for the Department of War (opens in a new tab) Rocket Lab
Rocket Lab launched the STP-S30 mission from LC-2 five months early. Electron deployed four DiskSat payloads for the Space Force to a 550km orbit. Rapid execution proves RKLB dominates responsive launch for defense.
- Rocket Lab launches 4 novel DiskSat satellites for U.S. Space Force, NASA (opens in a new tab) Spaceflight Now
Electron successfully deployed 4 DiskSats for Space Force/NASA. This mission accelerates advanced tech integration, orbiting at 550 km LEO. Two satellites will test VLEO capabilities.
- Rocket Lab launches 4 experimental 'DiskSats' for the US military (opens in a new tab) Space.com
Rocket Lab launched four DiskSats for the U.S. Space Force on December 18, setting a company record with its 20th mission of 2025.
- Rocket Lab Schedules Launch for U.S. Space Force's STP-S30 Mission, Brings Launch Forward By Several Months (opens in a new tab) Rocket Lab
Rocket Lab pulls forward the USSF STP-S30 mission by four months. Electron will deploy four DiskSats from Wallops for the Space Force. This 20th launch of the year proves responsive space capabilities for defense…
Technical Details
26
kiwisLaunch data cross-checked against Wikipedia.
Was this a jellyfish launch?
UnlikelySun 75° below the horizon at liftoff — full night, the plume stays in Earth's shadow.
Details
- Unlikely
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Liftoff
- 12:03 a.m. EST · 05:03 UTC
- Astronomical dawn (−18°)
- 5:37 a.m. EST · 10:37 UTC
- Nautical dawn (−12°)
- 6:09 a.m. EST · 11:09 UTC
- Civil dawn (−6°)
- 6:42 a.m. EST · 11:42 UTC
- Sunrise
- 7:12 a.m. EST · 12:12 UTC
Twilight times at the pad (Wallops, VA) for the morning 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DiskSat C 2025-305A · Payload | Operator USAF SMC/DoD Space Test Program | Built by Aerospace Corp. DiskSat | Mass 3 kg | Orbit 527 × 536 km · 45.0° | Status On orbit | NORAD 67219 |
DiskSat B 2025-305B · Payload | Operator USAF SMC/DoD Space Test Program | Built by Aerospace Corp. DiskSat | Mass 3 kg | Orbit 535 × 541 km · 45.0° | Status On orbit | NORAD 67220 |
DiskSat D 2025-305C · Payload | Operator USAF SMC/DoD Space Test Program | Built by Aerospace Corp. DiskSat | Mass 3 kg | Orbit 534 × 540 km · 45.0° | Status On orbit | NORAD 67221 |
DiskSat A 2025-305D · Payload | Operator USAF SMC/DoD Space Test Program | Built by Aerospace Corp. DiskSat | Mass 3 kg | Orbit 530 × 538 km · 45.0° | Status On orbit | NORAD 67222 |
Electron 78 Kick Stage 2025-305E · Stage | Operator Rocket Lab Ltd. | Built by Rocket Lab Ltd. Kick Stage | Mass 50 kg | Orbit 157 × 166 km · 45.0° | Status Decayed 2026-04-02 | NORAD 67223 |
Electron 78 Stage 2 2025-305F · Stage | Operator Rocket Lab Ltd. | Built by Rocket Lab Ltd. Electron St2 | Mass 250 kg | Orbit 132 × 159 km · 45.0° | Status Decayed 2026-01-07 | NORAD 67224 |
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