On Closer Inspection
On Closer Inspection was a Rocket Lab Electron mission for Astroscale that launched successfully at 14:52 UTC on 18 February 2024 (3:52 a.m. NZDT on 19 February; 9:52 a.m. EST on 18 February) from Launch Complex 1B on New Zealand's Mahia Peninsula.
14:52 UTC on 18 February 2024 · 3:52 a.m. NZDT on 19 February · 9:52 a.m. EST on 18 February
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: twitter.com -
Liftoff.
by Cosmic_Penguin Source: youtube.com -
Livestream has started
by LL2 Source: youtube.com
Updates via Launch Library 2 (The Space Devs).
Name Origin
The mission name "On Closer Inspection" reflects the core objective: to closely examine and assess space debris, employing Astroscale's Active Debris Removal (ADRAS-J) technology for future mitigation.
Mission Overview
The Active Debris Removal by Astroscale-Japan (ADRAS-J) mission consists of a spacecraft developed and operated by Astroscale aiming to rendezvous with and characterize a large piece of debris. Its target is the H-2A upper stage left in Low Earth Orbit after the launch of the GOSAT Earth observation satellite in 2009.
Technical Details
60
kiwisLaunch data cross-checked against Wikipedia.
Was this a jellyfish launch?
UnlikelySun 28° below the horizon at liftoff — full night, the plume stays in Earth's shadow.
Details
- Unlikely
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Liftoff
- 3:52 a.m. NZDT · 14:52 UTC
- Astronomical dawn (−18°)
- 5:01 a.m. NZDT · 16:01 UTC
- Nautical dawn (−12°)
- 5:37 a.m. NZDT · 16:37 UTC
- Civil dawn (−6°)
- 6:11 a.m. NZDT · 17:11 UTC
- Sunrise
- 6:39 a.m. NZDT · 17:39 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ADRAS-J 2024-034A · Payload | Operator Astroscale Japan Inc. | Built by Astroscale Japan Inc. ELSA | Mass 150 kg | Orbit 283 × 388 km · 98.2° | Status On orbit | NORAD 58992 |
Electron 44 Kick Stage 2024-034B · Stage | Operator Rocket Lab Ltd. | Built by Rocket Lab Ltd. Kick Stage | Mass 43 kg | Orbit 181 × 202 km · 98.1° | Status Decayed 2026-09-08 | NORAD 58993 |
Electron 44 Stage 2 2024-034C · Stage | Operator Rocket Lab Ltd. | Built by Rocket Lab Ltd. Electron St2 | Mass 250 kg | Orbit 116 × 148 km · 98.2° | Status Decayed 2024-03-06 | NORAD 58994 |