Stronger Together
Stronger Together was a Rocket Lab Electron mission for Capella that launched successfully at 22:38 UTC on 16 March 2023 (11:38 a.m. NZDT on 17 March; 6:38 p.m. EDT on 16 March) from Launch Complex 2 at Wallops Island, Virginia.
22:38 UTC on 16 March 2023 · 11:38 a.m. NZDT on 17 March · 6:38 p.m. EDT on 16 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: twitter.com -
Tweak in actual T-0
by Cosmic_Penguin Source: twitter.com -
Liftoff
by SwGustav Source: youtube.com
Updates via Launch Library 2 (The Space Devs).
Name Origin
The name "Stronger Together" highlights the vital partnership between Rocket Lab and Capella Space, as well as the collaborative power of Capella's constellation of Earth observation satellites working in unison.
Mission Overview
Payload consists of 2 Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellites for Capella Space. These 100-kg class satellites will expand Capella’s existing SAR constellation, increasing imaging capacity to meet growing customer demand.
Technical Details
90
kiwis- Stronger Together rocketlabusa.com
Launch data cross-checked against Wikipedia.
Was this a jellyfish launch?
UnlikelySun 5° above the horizon at liftoff — daylight, the sky is too bright.
Details
- Unlikely
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Liftoff
- 6:38 p.m. EDT · 22:38 UTC
- Sunset
- 7:09 p.m. EDT · 23:09 UTC
- Civil dusk (−6°)
- 7:36 p.m. EDT · 23:36 UTC
- Nautical dusk (−12°)
- 8:06 p.m. EDT · 00:06 UTC
- Astronomical dusk (−18°)
- 8:37 p.m. EDT · 00:37 UTC
Twilight times at the pad (Wallops, VA) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Electron 34 Kick Stage 2023-035A · Stage | Operator Rocket Lab Ltd. | Built by Rocket Lab Ltd. Kick Stage | Mass 40 kg | Orbit 528 × 532 km · 44.2° | Status On orbit | NORAD 55908 |
Capella 10 2023-035B · Payload | Operator Capella Space Corp. | Built by Capella Space Corp. Sequoia | Mass 112 kg | Orbit 187 × 202 km · 44.0° | Status Decayed 2025-05-05 | NORAD 55909 |
Capella 9 2023-035C · Payload | Operator Capella Space Corp. | Built by Capella Space Corp. Sequoia | Mass 112 kg | Orbit 184 × 203 km · 44.0° | Status Decayed 2025-03-29 | NORAD 55910 |
Electron 34 Stage 2 2023-035D · Stage | Operator Rocket Lab Ltd. | Built by Rocket Lab Ltd. Electron St2 | Mass 250 kg | Orbit 177 × 303 km · 44.0° | Status Decayed 2023-03-22 | NORAD 55911 |
