Don't Stop Me Now
Don't Stop Me Now was a Rocket Lab Electron mission that launched successfully at 05:12 UTC on 13 June 2020 (5:12 p.m. NZST on 13 June; 1:12 a.m. EDT on 13 June) from Launch Complex 1A on New Zealand's Mahia Peninsula.
05:12 UTC on 13 June 2020 · 5:12 p.m. NZST on 13 June · 1:12 a.m. EDT on 13 June
Mission State
This mission currently has a dated launch window in the tracker.
The primary watch link points to an official Rocket Lab source.
Name Origin
Named in tribute to Rocket Lab board member Scott Smith, a devoted Queen fan who had recently passed away; his initials appear on the mission patch. A COVID delay of 2.5 months also made the title doubly fitting.
Mission Overview
This rideshare mission carries small satellites for NASA, University of New South Wales and for NRO. The mission has been named "Don't Stop Me Now" in recognition of Rocket Lab board member and avid Queen fan Scott Smith, who recently passed away.
Technical Details
- Don't Stop Me Now rocketlabusa.com
Launch data cross-checked against Wikipedia.
Was this a jellyfish launch?
ModerateSun 4° below the horizon at liftoff — early twilight, the plume may glow against a darkening sky.
Details
- Unlikely
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Liftoff
- 5:12 p.m. NZST · 05:12 UTC
- Sunset
- 4:51 p.m. NZST · 04:51 UTC
- Civil dusk (−6°)
- 5:21 p.m. NZST · 05:21 UTC
- Nautical dusk (−12°)
- 5:55 p.m. NZST · 05:55 UTC
- Astronomical dusk (−18°)
- 6:27 p.m. NZST · 06:27 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
USA 301 2020-037A · Payload | Operator National Reconnaissance Office | Built by NGISGA? NRO Unk Small | Mass 50 kg | Orbit 527 × 535 km · 97.8° | Status On orbit | NORAD 45723 |
USA 302 2020-037B · Payload | Operator National Reconnaissance Office | Built by NGISGA? NRO Unk Small | Mass 50 kg | Orbit 433 × 439 km · 97.7° | Status On orbit | NORAD 45724 |
USA 303 2020-037C · Payload | Operator National Reconnaissance Office | Built by NGISGA? NRO Unk Small | Mass 50 kg | Orbit 451 × 457 km · 97.7° | Status On orbit | NORAD 45725 |
ANDESITE 2020-037D · Payload | Operator Boston University | Built by Boston University Cubesat 6U | Mass 2.5 kg | Orbit 541 × 555 km · 97.8° | Status On orbit | NORAD 45726 |
RAAF M2 Pathfinder 2020-037E · Payload | Operator Royal Australian Air Force / University of New South Wales Center for Space Eng. Research | Built by University of New South Wales/Canberra Cubesat 3U | Mass 4 kg | Orbit 542 × 560 km · 97.8° | Status On orbit | NORAD 45727 |
Electron 12 Kick Stage 2020-037F · Stage | Operator Rocket Lab Ltd. | Built by Rocket Lab Ltd. Kick Stage | Mass 50 kg | Orbit 497 × 508 km · 97.8° | Status On orbit | NORAD 45728 |
Electron 12 Stage 2 2020-037G · Stage | Operator Rocket Lab Ltd. | Built by Rocket Lab Ltd. Electron St2 | Mass 250 kg | Orbit 133 × 168 km · 97.8° | Status Decayed 2020-07-08 | NORAD 45729 |