Two Thumbs Up
Two Thumbs Up was a Rocket Lab Electron mission for U.S. Space Force that launched successfully at 23:27 UTC on 28 March 2019 (12:27 p.m. NZDT on 29 March; 7:27 p.m. EDT on 28 March) from Launch Complex 1A on New Zealand's Mahia Peninsula.
23:27 UTC on 28 March 2019 · 12:27 p.m. NZDT on 29 March · 7:27 p.m. EDT on 28 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.
Name Origin
The name "Two Thumbs Up" signifies approval or success, reflecting confidence in the mission's objective for DARPA's R3D2 project. It's a positive and encouraging nomenclature.
Mission Overview
Radio Frequency Risk Reduction Deployment Demonstration (R3D2) is a mission for Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). It will test a prototype reflect array antenna which is intended to improve radio communications in small spacecraft.
Technical Details
60
kiwis- Missions Launched rocketlabusa.com
- https://www.rocketlabusa.com/assets/Uploads/Rocket-Lab-press-kit-DARPA-R3D2.pdf rocketlabusa.com
Launch data cross-checked against Wikipedia.
Was this a jellyfish launch?
UnlikelySun 46° above the horizon at liftoff — daylight, the sky is too bright.
Details
- Unlikely
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Liftoff
- 12:27 p.m. NZDT · 23:27 UTC
- Astronomical dawn (−18°)
- 5:50 a.m. NZDT · 16:50 UTC
- Nautical dawn (−12°)
- 6:21 a.m. NZDT · 17:21 UTC
- Civil dawn (−6°)
- 6:52 a.m. NZDT · 17:52 UTC
- Sunrise
- 7:19 a.m. NZDT · 18:19 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
R3D2 2019-016A · Payload | Operator Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency | Built by Northrop Grummann Aerospace Systems / Blue Canyon Technologies Flexbus | Mass 160 kg | Orbit 152 × 172 km · 39.5° | Status Decayed 2021-05-23 | NORAD 44073 |
Electron 5 Kick Stage 2019-016B · Stage | Operator Rocket Lab Ltd. | Built by Rocket Lab Ltd. Kick Stage | Mass 40 kg | Orbit 194 × 216 km · 39.5° | Status Decayed 2021-06-25 | NORAD 44074 |
Electron 5 Stage 2 2019-016C · Stage | Operator Rocket Lab Ltd. | Built by Rocket Lab Ltd. Electron St2 | Mass 250 kg | Orbit 147 × 168 km · 39.5° | Status Decayed 2019-04-15 | NORAD 44075 |
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