Benzinga | Dec 1, 2021 03:40PM EST

Rocket Lab USA Reports Next Electron Mission Scheduled To Take Place During Launch Window That Opens Dec. 7, 2021

Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (NASDAQ:RKLB), a leading launch and space systems company, has today revealed its next Electron mission is scheduled to take place during a launch window that opens on December 7, 2021, fewer than three weeks since Rocket Lab's most recent mission on November 18, 2021. These two missions for BlackSky (NYSE:BKSY) occur 19 days apart and represent Rocket Lab's quickest turnaround in its launch history.

The "A Data With Destiny" mission for BlackSky managed through global launch services provider Spaceflight Inc., will be Rocket Lab's 23rd Electron launch and sixth mission of 2021. Rocket Lab will not be attempting to recover Electron for this mission.

Scheduled to launch from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand during a launch window that opens December 7, 2021 UTC, Electron will lift-off to deploy two BlackSky satellites to low-Earth orbit as part of the company's rapid expansion of its satellite constellation. BlackSky combines high-resolution images captured by its constellation of small satellites with its proprietary Spectra AI analytics and insights platform to government customers and industries including transportation, infrastructure, land use, and supply chain management. BlackSky expects to achieve a 12 satellite constellation by the end of 2021, with a further pair of satellites scheduled to launch on Electron early in 2022.

"A Data With Destiny" is the latest in a multi-launch agreement on Electron for BlackSky and Spaceflight that follows the successful dedicated launch of "Love At First Insight" on November 18, 2021 and a successful rideshare mission including BlackSky earlier in the year. The "A Data With Destiny" launch is set to bring the total number of satellites launched by Rocket Lab to 109, joining a collection of successfully deployed satellites by Rocket Lab in 2021 from sectors including commercial, civil, and defense that are enabling Internet-of-Things connectivity, providing weather and climate data, and testing next-generation technologies.