I Can’t Believe It’s Not Optical (Capella 2 & First Light)
Electron
Rocket Lab
Weather Forecast During Launch
According to weather officials, there’s a 90% chance of favorable weather conditions at the time of the launch.
Mission
I Can’t Believe It’s Not Optical (Capella 2 & First Light)
- Type: Earth Science
- Orbit: Low Earth Orbit
- Launch Cost: $6,000,000
This return to flight mission is dedicated for Capella Space, an information services company providing Earth observation data on demand.
Capella’s payload, ‘Sequoia’, is a single 100 kg class microsatellite which will be the first publicly available satellite in the company’s commercial Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) constellation. By positioning the satellite to a 45-degree inclination, Capella Space will maximize coverage over important areas such as the Middle East, Korea, Japan, Europe, South East Asia, Africa, and the U.S.
The mission name is a nod to Capella’s SAR technology that provides high quality images of the Earth day or night, and in any weather conditions, as well as a nod to the infamous advertisement campaign for “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter”. Capella’s space-based radar can detect sub-0.5 meter changes on the surface of the Earth, providing insights and data that can be used for security, agricultural and infrastructure monitoring, as well as disaster response and recovery.
Location
Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A
Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A has witnessed the launch of 27 rockets, including 27 orbital launch attempts, while Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand, has been the site for 49 rocket launches.
Rocket
Rocket Lab Electron
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.
Agency
Rocket Lab
Rocket 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.