Rocket Lab launches two radar imaging satellites from Virginia’s east coast

Rocket Lab’s Electron booster, which launched Thursday night from Virginia’s east coast, orbited two commercial radar imaging satellites that can be “seen” through the clouds at any time of the day or night, and below. You can monitor planets.

On Rocket Lab’s 34th flight, Elektron’s nine Rutherford first stage engines thundered at 6:38 p.m. Smoothly pushed out of the second launch facility. Flight test facility on Wallops Island, Virginia.

Rising southeast over the Atlantic Ocean, the electron rapidly accelerated above the speed of sound a minute after takeoff and disappeared from view out of the thick lower atmosphere.

One engine powering the rocket’s second stage took more than two and a half minutes after takeoff to propel the rocket into its first parking orbit.”Kick” stage carrying two people capella space The radar satellite launched about an hour after launch, placing the vehicle on its planned deployment orbit.

A few minutes later, two Capella satellites were released and flew alone.

San Francisco-based Capella Space was founded in 2016 to provide commercial data to government agencies and the private sector using small satellites equipped with synthetic aperture radar systems that can image the planet below at any time of the day or night, regardless of cloud cover. We provide Earth images for

NASA used similar technology to map the cloudy surface of Venus in the 1990s. Radar images are routinely used by military spy satellites. But Capella Space says it is the first company to use the technology on a commercial remote-sensing spacecraft.

Including early prototypes, the company is currently launching 10 radar satellites to provide around-the-clock Earth observations. Applications include verifying damage claims in the insurance industry, monitoring damage from natural catastrophes, collecting information, and detecting illegal maritime activity.

“Capella’s innovative small satellite design and rapid deployment from manufacturing to launch will enable our constellation (capability) to effectively monitor the entire planet and provide decision makers with the information they need on the planet. increase.”