Electron
ActiveRocket Lab (RL)
May 25, 2017
Description
Electron is a two-stage orbital expendable launch vehicle (with an optional third stage) developed by the American aerospace company Rocket Lab. Electron is a small-lift launch vehicle designed to launch small satellites and cubesats to sun-synchronous orbit and low earth orbit. The Electron is the first orbital class rocket to use electric-pump-fed engines, powered by the 9 Rutherford engines on the first stage. It is also used as a suborbital testbed (called HASTE) for hypersonics research.
Specifications
-
Minimum Stage
2 -
Max Stage
3 -
Length
18.0 m -
Diameter
1.2 m -
Fairing Diameter
1.2 m -
Launch Mass
13.0 T -
Thrust
162.0 kN
Family
-
Name
Electron -
Family
― -
Variant
― -
Alias
― -
Full Name
Electron
Payload Capacity
-
Launch Cost
$6000000 -
Low Earth Orbit
300.0 kg -
Geostationary Transfer
Orbit
― -
Direct Geostationary
― -
Sun-Synchronous Capacity
225.0 kg
Rocket Lab
Commercial
CEO: Peter Beck
RL 2006Rocket Lab is an American aerospace manufacturer with a wholly owned New Zealand subsidiary. The company develops lightweight, cost-effective commercial rocket launch services. The Electron Program was founded on the premise that small payloads such as CubeSats require dedicated small launch vehicles and flexibility not currently offered by traditional rocket systems. Its rocket, the Electron, is a light-weight rocket and is now operating commercially. The company is also producing a variety of spacecrafts and spacecrafts components.
Upcoming Spaceflights
Electron | StriX Launch 12
Rocket Lab | United States of AmericaRocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
TBD October, 2026
Electron | StriX Launch 13
Rocket Lab | United States of AmericaRocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
TBD December, 2026
Electron | BlackSky Gen-3 5
Rocket Lab | United States of AmericaRocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
TBD December, 2026
Electron | iQPS Launch 11
Rocket Lab | United States of AmericaRocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
TBD December, 2026
Electron | iQPS Launch 8
Rocket Lab | United States of AmericaRocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
TBD December, 2026
Electron | BlackSky Gen-3 6
Rocket Lab | United States of AmericaRocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
TBD December, 2026
Electron | BlackSky Gen-3 9
Rocket Lab | United States of AmericaRocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
TBD December, 2026
Electron | iQPS Launch 10
Rocket Lab | United States of AmericaRocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
TBD December, 2026
HASTE | Leidos-5
Rocket Lab | United States of AmericaWallops Flight Facility, Virginia, USA
TBD December, 2026
Electron | 6x HawkEye 360
Rocket Lab | United States of AmericaWallops Flight Facility, Virginia, USA
TBD December, 2026
Status: To Be Determined
Mission:
HawkEye 360 is a a space-based civil global intelligence satellite network using radio frequency (RF) technology to help monitor transportation across air, land and sea and assist with emergencies, and to provide civil SIGINT (Signal Intelligence) mission. The constellation of small satellites (named Hawk ) will collect information on specific radio signals worldwide to provide high-precision radio frequency mapping and analytics from Low Earth orbit (LEO).
Low Earth OrbitElectron | BlackSky Gen-3 8
Rocket Lab | United States of AmericaRocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
TBD December, 2026
Electron | BlackSky Gen-3 7
Rocket Lab | United States of AmericaRocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
TBD December, 2026
Electron | iQPS Launch 9
Rocket Lab | United States of AmericaRocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
TBD December, 2026
Electron | Aspera
Rocket Lab | United States of AmericaRocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
TBD December, 2026
Status: To Be Determined
Mission:
Aspera houses an ultraviolet telescope and will examine hot gas in the intergalactic medium, thought to be contributing to the birth of stars and planets. Aspera will be the first NASA astrophysics mission to gather and map these ultraviolet light signatures, potentially unlocking a deeper understanding of the origins of stars, planets, and life in the universe.
Low Earth OrbitHASTE | Leidos-3
Rocket Lab | United States of AmericaWallops Flight Facility, Virginia, USA
TBD December, 2026
HASTE | Leidos-4
Rocket Lab | United States of AmericaWallops Flight Facility, Virginia, USA
TBD December, 2026
Electron | TSIS-2
Rocket Lab | United States of AmericaRocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
TBD March, 2027
Status: To Be Determined
Mission:
The Total and Spectral Solar Irradiance Sensor 2 (TSIS-2) is a satellite designed by NASA to measure the Sun's energy input to Earth. TSIS-2 comprises two instruments, the Total Irradiance Monitor (TIM), and the spectral Irradiance Monitor (SIM). TIM measures total brightness and SIM measures spectral irradiance over a wavelength range that includes 96% of the energy in the solar spectrum. Both instruments are similar to those used for the TSIS-1 mission onboard the International Space Station.
Sun-Synchronous OrbitElectron | PolSIR-2
Rocket Lab | United States of AmericaRocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
TBD June, 2027
Status: To Be Determined
Mission:
The PoISIR (Polarized Submillimeter Ice-cloud Radiometer) mission will help provide a better understanding of ice clouds that form at high altitudes throughout tropical and subtropical regions. Consisting of two small satellites, both of PoISIR’s 16U CubeSats have a scientific instrument designed to measure a specific spectrum of electromagnetic radiation, which will determine how the amount of ice in tropical clouds rises and falls during the day, as well as how the ice changes connect to larger storms. The instruments also will help determine how ice clouds affect sunlight and heat radiation throughout the day. The pair of CubeSats will fly in orbits separated by several hours to observe the pattern of cloud ice content changes over a day. This information will help researchers make more accurate weather predictions.
Low Earth OrbitElectron | PolSIR-1
Rocket Lab | United States of AmericaRocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
TBD June, 2027
Status: To Be Determined
Mission:
The PoISIR (Polarized Submillimeter Ice-cloud Radiometer) mission will help provide a better understanding of ice clouds that form at high altitudes throughout tropical and subtropical regions. Consisting of two small satellites, both of PoISIR’s 16U CubeSats have a scientific instrument designed to measure a specific spectrum of electromagnetic radiation, which will determine how the amount of ice in tropical clouds rises and falls during the day, as well as how the ice changes connect to larger storms. The instruments also will help determine how ice clouds affect sunlight and heat radiation throughout the day. The pair of CubeSats will fly in orbits separated by several hours to observe the pattern of cloud ice content changes over a day. This information will help researchers make more accurate weather predictions.
Low Earth OrbitElectron | LOXSAT 1
Rocket Lab | United States of AmericaRocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
TBD July, 2026
Status: To Be Determined
Mission:
LOXSAT 1 is a demonstration satellite of a complete cryogenic oxygen fluid management system in orbit, developed by Eta Space and sponsored by NASA's Tipping Point program. The system will be integrated on a Rocket Lab Photon-LEO satellite bus and collect critical cryogenic fluid management data in orbit for 9 months, demonstrating capabilities of in-space cryogenic storage and transferal. Eta Space plans to use technology developed for this mission to develop a truly commercial depot intended to serve multiple customers in the future.
Low Earth OrbitElectron | StriX Launch 11
Rocket Lab | United States of AmericaRocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
TBD July, 2026
Electron | The Grain Goddess Provides (iQPS Launch 7)
Rocket Lab | United States of AmericaRocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
TBD July, 2026
Electron | Ten Owl Of Ten (StriX Launch 10)
Rocket Lab | United States of AmericaRocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
June 26, 2026, 5:43 p.m.
Electron | VICTUS HAZE Puma
Rocket Lab | United States of AmericaRocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
June 19, 2026, 10:19 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:
VICTUS HAZE will see Rocket Lab design, build, launch, and operate a rendezvous proximity operation (RPO) capable spacecraft. U.S. Space Force Space Systems Command (SSC)’s Space Safari’s VICTUS HAZE mission will be an exercise of a realistic threat-response scenario and on-orbit space domain awareness (SDA) demonstration. Once the spacecraft build is complete, Rocket Lab will be entered into a Hot Standby Phase awaiting further direction. Once the exercise begins, Rocket Lab will be given notice to launch the spacecraft into a target orbit. After reaching orbit, the spacecraft will be rapidly commissioned and readied for operations. Rocket Lab will configure a Pioneer class spacecraft bus to meet the unique requirements of the VICTUS HAZE mission. The mission will improve Tactically Responsive Space (TacRS) processes and timelines, demonstrating the ability to respond to on-orbit threats on very short timelines and validating techniques for space domain awareness (SDA) and on-orbit characterization. Rocket Lab’s constellation-class production capability and discriminating technical capabilities in the areas of in-space propulsion, precision attitude control, low latency communications, and autonomous operations are key enablers for this mission.
Low Earth OrbitHASTE | Curveball
Rocket Lab | United States of AmericaWallops Flight Facility, Virginia, USA
June 11, 2026, 8 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:
Sub-orbital launch under Rocket Lab’s Hypersonic Accelerator Suborbital Test Electron (HASTE) program, details TBD. Note: Despite reported as a strictly sub-orbital launch program, this launch was cataloged by the USSF to have left 2 rocket stages in a 200 km, 40° very low Earth orbit by the US Space Force. The payload was not cataloged and may have been deliberately de-orbited.
Low Earth Orbit
Electron | Viva La StriX (StriX Launch 9)
Rocket Lab | United States of AmericaRocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
May 22, 2026, 9:33 a.m.
Electron | Kakushin Rising (JAXA Rideshare)
Rocket Lab | United States of AmericaRocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
April 23, 2026, 3:09 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:
JAXA-manifested rideshare of eight separate spacecraft that includes educational small sats, an ocean monitoring satellite, a demonstration satellite for ultra-small multispectral cameras, and a deployable antenna that can be packed tightly using origami folding techniques and unfurled to 25 times its size. The satellites were originally planned to launch with RAISE-4 on a Japanese Epsilon-S rocket, but the Epsilon-S was heavily delayed due to test firing failures. The 8 satellites are: * MAGNARO-II * KOSEN-2R * WASEDA-SAT-ZERO-II * FSI-SAT2 * OrigamiSat-2 * Mono-Nikko * ARICA-2 * PRELUDE
Sun-Synchronous OrbitHASTE | Bubbles
Rocket Lab | United States of AmericaWallops Flight Facility, Virginia, USA
April 22, 2026, 1:36 a.m.
Electron | Daughter Of The Stars (LEO-PNT Pathfinder A)
Rocket Lab | United States of AmericaRocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
March 28, 2026, 9:14 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:
The European Space Agency (ESA)'s LEO-PNT (Low Earth Orbit Positioning, Navigation and Timing) demonstrator mission will feature a 10-satellite constellation demonstration mission that will assess how a low Earth orbit fleet of satellites can work in combination with the Galileo and EGNOS constellations in higher orbits that provide Europe’s own global navigation system. This launch will lift 2 “Pathfinder A” satellites built by Thales Alenia Space and GMV to a 510 km altitude Low Earth Orbit.
Sun-Synchronous Orbit
Electron | Eight Days A Week (StriX Launch 8)
Rocket Lab | United States of AmericaRocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
March 20, 2026, 6:10 p.m.
Electron | Insight At Speed Is A Friend Indeed (BlackSky Gen-3 4)
Rocket Lab | United States of AmericaRocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
March 5, 2026, 11:53 p.m.
HASTE | That's Not A Knife (DART AE)
Rocket Lab | United States of AmericaWallops Flight Facility, Virginia, USA
Feb. 28, 2026, midnight
Electron | Bridging The Swarm (NeonSat-1A)
Rocket Lab | United States of AmericaRocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
Jan. 30, 2026, 1:21 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:
The NeonSat-1A, carrying a high-resolution optical camera, is designed to test the constellation capabilities of the South Korean government's Earth observation micro-satellite constellation NeonSat (New-space Earth Observation Satellite), in particular technology improvements identified from operations of NeonSat-1 after its launch in April 2024. These technologies will in turn be incorporated into the next 10 NeonSat under construction, as well as providing more site re-visiting capabilities along with NeonSat-1. The NeonSat constellation is the first satellite system developed by the government using a mass-production approach for precise monitoring of the Korean Peninsula, lead by the Satellite Technology Research Center (SaTReC) at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Korea’s leading university dedicated to science and technology. Designed to capture near-real time natural disaster monitoring for the Korean peninsula, KAIST’s NEONSAT constellation is a collaboration across multiple Korean academic, industry, and research institutions, including SaTReC, which is leading the program’s system design and engineering. The NEONSAT program is funded by the Korean government’s Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT).
Sun-Synchronous OrbitElectron | The Cosmos Will See You Now (Open Cosmos Constellation Launch 1)
Rocket Lab | United States of AmericaRocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
Jan. 22, 2026, 10:52 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:
First 2 satellites (named MR-1 and MR-2) of UK-based Open Cosmos' secure LEO broadband constellation designed to provide independent and resilient connectivity infrastructure for Europe and the world, using high-priority Ka-band spectrum filings by the Principality of Liechtenstein.
Polar OrbitElectron | The Wisdom God Guides (iQPS Launch 6)
Rocket Lab | United States of AmericaRocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
Dec. 21, 2025, 6:36 a.m.
Electron | Don't Be Such A Square (STP-S30)
Rocket Lab | United States of AmericaWallops Flight Facility, Virginia, USA
Dec. 18, 2025, 5:03 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:
STP-S30 is a complex mission that will deliver research experiments and technology demonstrations to orbit for the DoD and contribute to future space systems development. The projected primary payload, DISKSat, will demonstrate sustained very low earth orbit (VLEO) flight and test a unique, 1-meter diameter, disk-shaped satellite bus that is designed to increase on-orbit persistence.
Low Earth Orbit
Electron | Raise and Shine (RAISE-4)
Rocket Lab | United States of AmericaRocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
Dec. 14, 2025, 3:09 a.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:
RAISE-4 (RApid Innovative payload demonstration Satellite-4) is a Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) satellite for on-orbit demonstrations of 15 demonstration components and equipment selected by public solicitation. The satellite will be operated in response to requests from the demonstration theme proposers, and will provide experimental data of the demonstration devices and environmental data during the experiments. 6 of the demonstration payload, as well as as well as 4 cubesats originally planned to ride on the same launch vehicle, are re-flight of those planned for RAISE-3, which failed to reach orbit in October 2022. The launch vehicle was switched from Epsilon-S to Rocket Lab's Electron due to continuous testing problems with the Epsilon-S' 2nd stage motor. The original 8 hitch-hiking cubesats will be launched on another Electron rocket later.
Sun-Synchronous Orbit
Electron | Follow My Speed (BlackSky Gen-3 3)
Rocket Lab | United States of AmericaRocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
Nov. 20, 2025, 12:43 p.m.
HASTE | Prometheus Run (VAN)
Rocket Lab | United States of AmericaWallops Flight Facility, Virginia, USA
Nov. 18, 2025, 1 p.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:
Sub-orbital launch under Rocket Lab’s Hypersonic Accelerator Suborbital Test Electron (HASTE) program. This mission was lead by MDA and deployed a government-provided primary payload developed by the John Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHUAPL), and multiple secondary payloads by federal and industry partners, which tested key technologies for missile defense applications. The mission was contracted to Rocket Lab through the DIU’s Hypersonic and High-Cadence Airborne Testing Capabilities (HyCAT) program, an initiative supporting test and evaluation of new and emerging hypersonic technologies through low cost, responsive and long endurance flight testing.
SuborbitalElectron | The Nation God Navigates (iQPS Launch 5)
Rocket Lab | United States of AmericaRocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
Nov. 5, 2025, 7:51 p.m.
Electron | Owl New World (StriX Launch 7)
Rocket Lab | United States of AmericaRocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
Oct. 14, 2025, 4:33 p.m.
HASTE | JUSTIN
Rocket Lab | United States of AmericaWallops Flight Facility, Virginia, USA
Oct. 1, 2025, 12:28 a.m.
HASTE | JENNA
Rocket Lab | United States of AmericaWallops Flight Facility, Virginia, USA
Sept. 23, 2025, midnight
Electron | Live, Laugh, Launch (Calistus A-E)
Rocket Lab | United States of AmericaRocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
Aug. 23, 2025, 10:42 p.m.
Status: Launch Successful
Mission:
'Live, Laugh, Launch' is the second of two dedicated missions on Electron for a confidential customer in 2025. This mission deployed 5 satellites to a 655 km circular Earth orbit identified as “Calistus A to E”, identified as most likely for Low Earth Orbit communication satellite constellation operator E-Space.
Sun-Synchronous OrbitElectron | The Harvest Goddess Thrives (iQPS Launch 4)
Rocket Lab | United States of AmericaRocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
Aug. 5, 2025, 4:10 a.m.
Mir
Demo Flight
ADD Offshore launch platform - Sea LaunchNote: Launch vehicle name is provisional. First orbital full version launch of the South Korean military small satellite launch vehicle, after 2 s…
Electron
The Grain Goddess Provides (iQPS Launch 7)
Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A - Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New ZealandSynthetic aperture radar Earth observation satellite for Japanese Earth imaging company iQPS.
Electron
StriX Launch 11
Unknown Pad - Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New ZealandSynthetic aperture radar satellite for Japanese Earth imaging company Synspective.
Electron
LOXSAT 1
Unknown Pad - Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New ZealandLOXSAT 1 is a demonstration satellite of a complete cryogenic oxygen fluid management system in orbit, developed by Eta Space and sponsored by NASA's…
Falcon 9
NROL-95
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USAClassified payload for the US National Reconnaissance Office.
