Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket successfully
deployed the ADRAS-J satellite for Astroscale Japan Inc to conduct
an orbital debris inspection demonstration mission.
Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) (“Rocket Lab” or “the
Company”), a global leader in launch services and space systems,
today launched its 44th Electron rocket, successfully deploying an
orbital debris inspection satellite for Astroscale Japan Inc.
This press release features multimedia. View
the full release here:
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240218296478/en/
Rocket Lab's Electron launch vehicle
lifts-off for the 'On Closer Inspection' mission for Astroscale
Japan. (Photo: Business Wire)
The mission, named “On Closer Inspection”, launched from Pad B
at Rocket Lab’s Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand at 03:52 NZDT
February 19th, 2024 (14:52 UTC, February 18th). Electron deployed
the Active Debris Removal by Astroscale-Japan (ADRAS-J), a
satellite designed to test technologies and operations for
approaching and monitoring debris objects in orbit, also known as
space junk. The mission is the first phase in assessing the
potential for satellites to rendezvous with orbital debris objects
in future and assist in de-orbiting them, supporting space
sustainability for future generations.
Following the successful launch on Electron, the 150-kilogram
ADRAS-J satellite will now approach an aged, derelict rocket stage
in orbit to observe it closely, understand how it behaves and
determine potential methods for its assisted deorbiting in future.
The rocket stage it will be observing is the Japanese H-2A upper
stage left in low Earth orbit after the launch of the GOSAT Earth
observation satellite in 2009. ADRAS-J will fly around the stage,
11 meters long and four meters in diameter, inspecting it with
cameras and sensors. Astroscale’s full mission will take between
three and six months to complete.
“Congratulations to the Astroscale team on this historic mission
that paves the way for new and innovative ways to reduce orbital
debris and ensure space remains safely accessible,” said Rocket Lab
founder and CEO Peter Beck. “It’s a real honor to provide a
dedicated launch service and enable the kind of precise orbital
maneuvers required for an advanced mission like this.”
To enable the ADRAS-J satellite to rendezvous with the derelict
H-2A upper stage in orbit, Rocket Lab had to design a mission with
strict launch timing and precision orbital deployment parameters.
Rocket Lab only received the final perigee, apogee, and inclination
from Astroscale 20 days before launch, parameters that are
typically determined many months in advance of a launch. Only then
could argument of perigee targets for different days within the
launch window be selected, essentially determining the timing of
Electron Kick Stage burns to facilitate the unique elliptical orbit
required depending on the launch date. The mission demanded highly
accurate orbital insertion with tighter margins than required on
most standard missions. The exact T-0 was only able to be defined
the day prior to launch and the required LTAN accuracy only allows
for +/- 15 seconds, demonstrating Rocket Lab’s capability to
deliver rapid and responsive advanced guidance, navigation and
control analysis.
“Today’s successful launch of ADRAS-J marks another milestone
toward our efforts to grow the on-orbit servicing sector while
creating a sustainable space environment,” said Astroscale founder
& CEO Nobu Okada. “We are grateful for the collaboration with
Rocket Lab, whose expertise in dedicated launch services has been
instrumental to the start of this ground breaking mission.”
Images and video from the launch of ‘On Closer Inspection’ are
available for download here: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBdtqX
‘On Closer Inspection’ was Rocket Lab’s second launch of 2024
and the Company’s 44th Electron launch overall.
+ About Rocket Lab
Founded in 2006, Rocket Lab is an end-to-end space company with
an established track record of mission success. We deliver reliable
launch services, satellite manufacture, spacecraft components, and
on-orbit management solutions that make it faster, easier, and more
affordable to access space. Headquartered in Long Beach,
California, Rocket Lab designs and manufactures the Electron small
orbital launch vehicle, the Photon satellite platform, and the
Company is developing the large Neutron launch vehicle for
constellation deployment. Since its first orbital launch in January
2018, Rocket Lab’s Electron launch vehicle has become the second
most frequently launched U.S. rocket annually and has delivered 177
satellites to orbit for private and public sector organizations,
enabling operations in national security, scientific research,
space debris mitigation, Earth observation, climate monitoring, and
communications. Rocket Lab’s Photon spacecraft platform has been
selected to support NASA missions to the Moon and Mars, as well as
the first private commercial mission to Venus. Rocket Lab has three
launch pads at two launch sites, including two launch pads at a
private orbital launch site located in New Zealand and a third
launch pad in Virginia. To learn more, visit
www.rocketlabusa.com.
+ About Astroscale
Founded in 2013, Astroscale is developing innovative and
scalable solutions across the spectrum of on-orbit servicing
missions, including life extension, in-situ space situational
awareness, end-of-life services, and active debris removal, to
create sustainable space systems and mitigate the growing and
hazardous buildup of debris in space. Astroscale is also defining
business cases and working with government and commercial
stakeholders to develop norms, regulations, and incentives for the
responsible use of space.
Headquartered in Japan, Astroscale has an international presence
with subsidiaries in the United Kingdom, the United States, France,
and Israel. Astroscale is a rapidly expanding venture company,
working to advance safe and sustainable growth in space and solve a
growing environmental concern. Find out more about Astroscale at
www.astroscale.com.
+ Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within
the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995. We intend such forward-looking statements to be covered by
the safe harbor provisions for forward looking statements contained
in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
“Securities Act”) and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). All statements contained in
this press release other than statements of historical fact,
including, without limitation, statements regarding our launch and
space systems operations, launch schedule and window, safe and
repeatable access to space, Neutron development, operational
expansion and business strategy are forward-looking statements. The
words “believe,” “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “potential,”
“continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “expect,” “strategy,” “future,”
“could,” “would,” “project,” “plan,” “target,” and similar
expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements,
though not all forward-looking statements use these words or
expressions. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees,
but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other
important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or
achievements to be materially different from any future results,
performance or achievements expressed or implied by the
forward-looking statements, including but not limited to the
factors, risks and uncertainties included in our Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, as such
factors may be updated from time to time in our other filings with
the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), accessible on
the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov and the Investor Relations section
of our website at www.rocketlabusa.com, which could cause our
actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the
forward-looking statements made in this press release. Any such
forward-looking statements represent management’s estimates as of
the date of this press release. While we may elect to update such
forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we disclaim
any obligation to do so, even if subsequent events cause our views
to change.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240218296478/en/
+ Rocket Lab Media Contact Morgan Bailey
media@rocketlabusa.com
Rocket Lab USA (NASDAQ:RKLB)
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