On January 20 at 07:26 UTC, Rocket Lab launched their eighteenth Electron rocket for the mission “Another One Leaves The Crust” — a play on Queen’s Another One Bites the Dust — from Launch Complex 1 on the Mahia Peninsula in New Zealand.

Before we get to the mission details, let’s check out the mission patch. It’s shaped like the pin that you’d see in Google Maps. In the foreground is the Electron rocket rising atop a red flame. In the background are green mountains and a rising orange sun. It reminds me of a sunrise over the Mahia Peninsula, where the launch site is.  A black number 18 is on the right side of the patch in one of the sun rays. Rocket Lab, “Another One Leaves Crust” (the mission name), and the OHB Cosmos (the customer name) are written inside the bold black border of the patch.

This time, the Electron launched only a single payload into low Earth orbit: GMS-T, a prototype broadband communications satellite for OHB Group of Germany. Not much is known about the payload except “it will enable specific frequencies to support future services from orbit”, which suggests that the goal of the mission is to “bring in use” reserved frequencies for a planned communications satellite constellation. OHB Cosmos reported that the satellite is fully operational.

After payload separation, the kick stage performed a deorbit burn to allow it to burn up in the atmosphere quicker. No first stage recovery attempt was performed. Unusual for space missions, the launch was executed only six months after the contract was signed.

More Information

Rocket Lab press release

OHB Cosmos press release

GMS-T info page (Gunter’s Space Page)

Launch video