Finding Hot Wildfires Near You
Finding Hot Wildfires Near You was a Rocket Lab Electron mission for Orora Technologies that launched successfully at 15:30 UTC on 26 March 2025 (4:30 a.m. NZDT on 27 March; 11:30 a.m. EDT on 26 March) from Launch Complex 1B on New Zealand's Mahia Peninsula.
15:30 UTC on 26 March 2025 · 4:30 a.m. NZDT on 27 March · 11:30 a.m. EDT on 26 March
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 Cosmic_Penguin Source: ororatech.com -
All payloads deployed.
by hitura-nobad Source: youtube.com -
Liftoff!
by hitura-nobad Source: youtube.com
Updates via Launch Library 2 (The Space Devs).
Name Origin
This mission name clearly highlights its purpose: deploying a satellite for OroraTech to detect and locate hot wildfires, offering vital early warning and monitoring.
Mission Overview
8 satellites for a constellation of satellites developed by Orora Technologies (OroraTech) of Germany, with thermal infrared cameras that can provide 24/7 monitoring of wildfires globally, supporting better and faster wildfire response to protect forests, people, and infrastructure worldwide. The company plans to expand their constellation with up to 100 satellites in total by 2028.
Technical Details
- https://www.rocketlabusa.com/assets/Uploads/FINAL-F63-OroraTech2.pdf rocketlabusa.com
Launch data cross-checked against Wikipedia.
Was this a jellyfish launch?
UnlikelySun 32° below the horizon at liftoff — full night, the plume stays in Earth's shadow.
Details
- Unlikely
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Liftoff
- 4:30 a.m. NZDT · 15:30 UTC
- Astronomical dawn (−18°)
- 5:48 a.m. NZDT · 16:48 UTC
- Nautical dawn (−12°)
- 6:20 a.m. NZDT · 17:20 UTC
- Civil dawn (−6°)
- 6:51 a.m. NZDT · 17:51 UTC
- Sunrise
- 7:17 a.m. NZDT · 18:17 UTC
Twilight times at the pad (Mahia, NZ) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
OTC-P1-1 2025-061A · Payload | Operator Orora Technologies GmbH | Built by Spire/Glasgow Cubesat 8U | Mass 15 kg | Orbit 511 × 536 km · 97.6° | Status On orbit | NORAD 63351 |
OTC-P1-2 2025-061B · Payload | Operator Orora Technologies GmbH | Built by Spire/Glasgow Cubesat 8U | Mass 15 kg | Orbit 511 × 535 km · 97.6° | Status On orbit | NORAD 63352 |
OTC-P1-3 2025-061C · Payload | Operator Orora Technologies GmbH | Built by Spire/Glasgow Cubesat 8U | Mass 15 kg | Orbit 509 × 535 km · 97.6° | Status On orbit | NORAD 63353 |
OTC-P1-4 2025-061D · Payload | Operator Orora Technologies GmbH | Built by Spire/Glasgow Cubesat 8U | Mass 15 kg | Orbit 509 × 534 km · 97.6° | Status On orbit | NORAD 63354 |
OTC-P1-5 2025-061E · Payload | Operator Orora Technologies GmbH | Built by Spire/Glasgow Cubesat 8U | Mass 15 kg | Orbit 510 × 532 km · 97.6° | Status On orbit | NORAD 63355 |
OTC-P1-6 2025-061F · Payload | Operator Orora Technologies GmbH | Built by Spire/Glasgow Cubesat 8U | Mass 15 kg | Orbit 507 × 531 km · 97.6° | Status On orbit | NORAD 63356 |
OTC-P1-7 2025-061G · Payload | Operator Orora Technologies GmbH | Built by Spire/Glasgow Cubesat 8U | Mass 15 kg | Orbit 507 × 532 km · 97.6° | Status On orbit | NORAD 63357 |
OTC-P1-8 2025-061H · Payload | Operator Orora Technologies GmbH | Built by Spire/Glasgow Cubesat 8U | Mass 15 kg | Orbit 510 × 532 km · 97.6° | Status On orbit | NORAD 63358 |
Electron 63 Kick Stage 2025-061J · Stage | Operator Rocket Lab Ltd. | Built by Rocket Lab Ltd. Kick Stage | Mass 50 kg | Orbit 425 × 473 km · 97.6° | Status On orbit | NORAD 63359 |
Electron 63 Stage 2 2025-061K · Stage | Operator Rocket Lab Ltd. | Built by Rocket Lab Ltd. Electron St2 | Mass 250 kg | Orbit 139 × 231 km · 97.5° | Status Decayed 2025-04-04 | NORAD 63360 |