Rocket Lab's Electron rocket launches from Mahia Peninsula.
Rocket Lab's Electron rocket launches from Mahia Peninsula.
Rocket Lab has successfully deployed all of its payloads in the first fully commercial rocket which was launched into orbit this afternoon.
Today's mission, dubbed "It's Business Time", was launched at 4.50pm from its Mahia Peninsula launch pad and announced the payloads were deployed around 5.46pm.
Rocket Lab took toTwitter to announce their exciting news, stating it "really is Business Time".
All payloads deployed. It really is Business Time.
Today marks the first day in Rocket Lab's nine-day window for launch of the Electron. The mission has a daily four-hour launch window starting at 4pm to get the rocket into orbit.
Earlier in the year Rocket Lab was unsuccessful in launching the Electron rocket, following an issue with its motor controller. It had a successful test launch in January.
Now fixed, the Electron will house six satellites and a technology demonstrator which will be sent to low earth orbit and feed data back to earth.
The satellites are from Spire, Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems, Fleet Space Technologies, as well as a payload from the Irvine Cube Sat STEM Program and a technology demonstrator built by High Performance Space Structure Systems GmBH, will monitor social and commercial services such as global internet from space, weather predictions and crops.
The launch will be commanded and monitored from the Mission Control Centre in Rocket Lab's new Mount Wellington factory, which was opened by Star Trek actor William Shatner and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern last month.
