Rocket Lab schedules dual launches for NASA's climate satellite missions

Written by Copernical Team Tuesday, 30 April 2024 20:06

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Los Angeles CA (SPX) Apr 29, 2024

Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) is gearing up for two consecutive Electron rocket launches to deploy satellites for NASA's Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment (PREFIRE) mission. The company plans to launch the satellites into a 525km circular orbit from its Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand. The initial mission, dubbed 'Ready, Aim, PREFIRE,' is slated for no earli

Rocket Lab schedules dual launches for NASA's climate satellite missions
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Apr 29, 2024

Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) is gearing up for two consecutive Electron rocket launches to deploy satellites for NASA's Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment (PREFIRE) mission.

The company plans to launch the satellites into a 525km circular orbit from its Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand. The initial mission, dubbed 'Ready, Aim, PREFIRE,' is slated for no earlier than May 22, 2024. Following the first mission, the second launch, titled 'PREFIRE And Ice,' is expected within three weeks, contingent upon the first mission's success. These will mark Rocket Lab's 48th and 49th Electron launches, as well as the sixth and seventh for the year.

The PREFIRE mission aims to capture and analyze heat loss data from Earth's polar regions using infrared and far-infrared wavelengths. This data is vital for understanding the climatic impact on phenomena such as extreme storms, flooding, and coastal erosion. The deployment of two 6U CubeSats will enhance the precision of climate models and improve global warming projections.

"Helping climate scientists better understand climate change means they need precisely located measurements of Earth's polar heat loss, which NASA's PREFIRE mission is setting out to achieve, and helping the PREFIRE mission achieve its science objectives means its satellites need precise and accurate deployments to their locations in space," says Rocket Lab Founder and CEO, Peter Beck.

"It's these types of missions where Electron really thrives as the leading launch provider for dedicated small satellite missions. We have an excellent track record of delivering NASA's payloads to exactly where they need to go and when they need to, and we're looking forward to adding to that tally further with these next back-to-back launches."

Other NASA missions launched by Rocket Lab include the CAPSTONE lunar mission, TROPICS mission in May 2023, the Starling mission, and the ACS3 mission.