It Argos Up From Here
It Argos Up From Here was a Rocket Lab Electron mission for General Atomics that launched successfully at 17:09 UTC on 7 October 2022 (6:09 a.m. NZDT on 8 October; 1:09 p.m. EDT on 7 October) from Launch Complex 1B on New Zealand's Mahia Peninsula.
17:09 UTC on 7 October 2022 · 6:09 a.m. NZDT on 8 October · 1:09 p.m. EDT on 7 October
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
-
Successful launch
by Nosu Source: twitter.com -
Liftoff
by Nosu Source: youtube.com -
Webcast live
by Nosu Source: youtube.com
Updates via Launch Library 2 (The Space Devs).
Name Origin
Pun on "it only goes up from here" — "goes" replaced by "Argos," the payload name. A literal rocket launch pun TechCrunch dubbed the worst pun ever launched into space.
Mission Overview
The “It Argos Up From Here” mission will launch the General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems designed and manufactured satellite GAzelle, carrying Argos-4 Advanced Data Collection System (A-DCS) hosted payload, part of the international Argos program that collects data from thousands of sensors and transmitters located around the world.
Technical Details
47
kiwis- https://www.rocketlabusa.com/assets/Uploads/F31-It-Argos-Up-From-Here-Press-Kit-v2.pdf rocketlabusa.com
- ARGOS-4 Launch nesdis.noaa.gov
- ARGOS-4 Launch nesdis.noaa.gov
Launch data cross-checked against Wikipedia.
Was this a jellyfish launch?
ModerateSun 5° below the horizon at liftoff — early twilight, the plume may glow against a darkening sky.
Details
- Unlikely
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Liftoff
- 6:09 a.m. NZDT · 17:09 UTC
- Astronomical dawn (−18°)
- 5:01 a.m. NZDT · 16:01 UTC
- Nautical dawn (−12°)
- 5:34 a.m. NZDT · 16:34 UTC
- Civil dawn (−6°)
- 6:06 a.m. NZDT · 17:06 UTC
- Sunrise
- 6:33 a.m. NZDT · 17:33 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GAzelle 2022-127A · Payload | Operator General Atomics Electromagnetic System Group/Englewood | Built by General Atomics Electromagnetic System Group/Englewood GAzelle | Mass 118 kg | Orbit 740 × 759 km · 98.4° | Status On orbit | NORAD 54023 |
Electron 31 Kick Stage 2022-127B · Stage | Operator Rocket Lab Ltd. | Built by Rocket Lab Ltd. Kick Stage | Mass 40 kg | Orbit 529 × 681 km · 98.2° | Status On orbit | NORAD 54024 |
Electron 31 Stage 2 2022-127C · Stage | Operator Rocket Lab Ltd. | Built by Rocket Lab Ltd. Electron St2 | Mass 250 kg | Orbit 125 × 143 km · 98.3° | Status Decayed 2023-02-27 | NORAD 54025 |