Rocket Lab Successfully Launches 31st Electron Rocket, Breaks Annual Launch Record

October 07, 2022

Rocket Lab USA, Inc.  broke its annual launch record with the launch of “It Argos Up From Here,” a dedicated launch for General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS). The mission was Rocket Lab’s 31st Electron launch overall and the eighth for the year to date, besting the company’s previous record of seven launches in 2020. Rocket Lab has now successfully launched a mission every month since April 2022, delivering frequent and reliable access to orbit.

“It Argos Up From Here” lifted off at 17:09 UTC, October 7, 2022 from Rocket Lab’s private orbital launch site, Launch Complex 1, on New Zealand’s Mahia Peninsula. The mission successfully deployed the GA-EMS-designed and manufactured GAzelle satellite carrying the Argos-4 Advanced Data Collection (A-DCS) payload. The A-DCS mission is supported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Cooperative Data and Rescue Services Program, which arranged the launch through the Hosted Payload Solutions contract vehicle administered by the U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command. Now in orbit, Argos-4 has joined a network of other Argos instruments to collect a variety of data from both stationary and mobile transmitters around the world. This vital information helps provide a better understanding of Earth’s physical and biological environment, including its weather and climate, biodiversity and ecosystems, as well as assist with maritime security, offshore pollution, and humanitarian assistance.

“Congratulations to the teams at General Atomics, NOAA, and France’s National Center for Space Studies on a successful mission,” said Rocket Lab founder and CEO, Peter Beck. “Beating our own annual launch record with such an important spacecraft delivering critical insights about our planet is a real privilege.”

Rocket Lab remains on track to continue its monthly launch cadence for the rest of the year, with missions scheduled from Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand, as well as the inaugural mission from Launch Complex 2 at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Virginia’s Eastern Shore.