Mahia Peninsula

NASA’s final two TROPICS CubeSats launched by Rocket Lab

Rocket Lab’s Electron launcher lifts off from Launch Complex 1B in New Zealand with NASA’s fifth and sixth TROPICS hurricane research satellites. Credit: Rocket Lab The last two spacecraft in a four-satellite constellation of tropical cyclone research platforms took off late Thursday from New Zealand on a Rocket Lab Electron launcher, helping ensure NASA’s TROPICS …

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Electron rocket launches pair of cyclone-tracking CubeSats for NASA

Rocket Lab’s Electron launcher lifts off with two of NASA’s TROPICS hurricane research satellites. Credit: Rocket Lab The first pair of four NASA CubeSats designed to provide frequent updates of typhoon and hurricane development for new insights into how tropical storms evolve and intensify were launched by Rocket Lab from its New Zealand spaceport on …

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Twin TROPICS satellites set to be lofted into orbit

Artist’s illustration of two TROPICS satellites collecting data on hurricanes. Credit: NASA Rocket Lab’s launch of NASA’s second pair of TROPICS hurricane research satellites, reassigned from Astra following a launch failure last year, has been rescheduled for Sunday (U.S. time) after a delay due to unfavorable weather at the the company’s New Zealand spaceport. Originally …

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Rocket Lab recovers booster again after launch with BlackSky satellites

An Electron rocket lifts off Friday with two BlackSky Earth-imaging satellites. Credit: Rocket Lab Two BlackSky optical Earth-imaging satellites rode an Electron launcher into orbit Friday from New Zealand, while the Electron’s first stage booster gently parachuted into the Pacific Ocean as engineers consider abandoning airborne rocket recovery in favor of ship-based retrieval and reuse. …

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