Still Testing
Still Testing was a Rocket Lab Electron mission that launched successfully at 01:43 UTC on 21 January 2018 (2:43 p.m. NZDT on 21 January; 8:43 p.m. EST on 20 January) from Launch Complex 1A on New Zealand's Mahia Peninsula.
01:43 UTC on 21 January 2018 · 2:43 p.m. NZDT on 21 January · 8:43 p.m. EST on 20 January
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
This mission name signifies Rocket Lab's ongoing commitment to testing and refining the Electron launch vehicle's capabilities, ensuring continuous improvement and reliability for future operations.
Mission Overview
The second test flight of the Electron small satellite launch vehicle. It is also the first Electron flight to carry commercial payload. It includes a Dove cubesat for company Planet intended for Earth observation. And also two Lemur-2 cubesats for company Spire which carry payloads for meteorology and ship traffic tracking.
Technical Details
5
kiwis- Still Testing rocketlabusa.com
Launch data cross-checked against Wikipedia.
Was this a jellyfish launch?
UnlikelySun 64° above the horizon at liftoff — daylight, the sky is too bright.
Details
- Unlikely
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Liftoff
- 2:43 p.m. NZDT · 01:43 UTC
- Sunset
- 8:33 p.m. NZDT · 07:33 UTC
- Civil dusk (−6°)
- 9:03 p.m. NZDT · 08:03 UTC
- Nautical dusk (−12°)
- 9:41 p.m. NZDT · 08:41 UTC
- Astronomical dusk (−18°)
- 10:23 p.m. NZDT · 09:23 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dove Pioneer 2018-010A · Payload | Operator Planet Labs, Inc. (Planet) | Built by Planet Labs, Inc. (Planet) Cubesat 3U | Mass 5 kg | Orbit 171 × 189 km · 82.9° | Status Decayed 2019-09-22 | NORAD 43163 |
Electron 2 Kick Stage 2018-010B · Stage | Operator Rocket Lab Ltd. | Built by Rocket Lab Ltd. Kick Stage | Mass 45 kg | Orbit 134 × 138 km · 82.9° | Status Decayed 2023-12-17 | NORAD 43164 |
Lemur-2-Marshall 2018-010C · Payload | Operator Spire | Built by Spire/Glasgow Cubesat 3U | Mass 4.6 kg | Orbit 130 × 148 km · 82.9° | Status Decayed 2023-08-19 | NORAD 43165 |
Electron 2 Stage 2 2018-010D · Stage | Operator Rocket Lab Ltd. | Built by Rocket Lab Ltd. RocketLab | Mass 270 kg | Orbit 141 × 150 km · 82.9° | Status Decayed 2019-03-03 | NORAD 43166 |
Lemur-2-Tallhamn-ATC 2018-010E · Payload | Operator Spire | Built by Spire/Glasgow Cubesat 3U | Mass 4.6 kg | Orbit 139 × 155 km · 82.8° | Status Decayed 2023-11-09 | NORAD 43167 |
Humanity Star 2018-010F · Payload | Operator Rocket Lab Ltd. | Built by Rocket Lab Ltd. Beck Star | Mass 8 kg | Orbit 172 × 179 km · 82.9° | Status Decayed 2018-03-22 | NORAD 43168 |