Rocket Lab will launch five mystery spacecraft today (Aug. 23), and you can watch the action live.
An Electron rocket carrying the satellite quintet is scheduled to lift off from Rocket Lab’s New Zealand site today at 6:30 p.m. EDT (2230 GMT; 10:30 a.m. on Aug. 24 local New Zealand time).
You can watch it live via Rocket Lab, and Space.com will carry the company’s feed if (as expected) it’s made available. Coverage will begin 30 minutes before liftoff.
Today’s mission, which Rocket Lab calls “Live, Laugh, Launch,” will send five satellites to a circular orbit 413 miles (665 kilometers) above Earth.
That’s pretty much all we know about the flight, which is veiled in secrecy; it’s the second of two contracted missions that Electron will launch for a confidential customer, according to the company.
“Live, Laugh, Launch” will be the 12th launch of 2025 and 70th overall for Electron, a 59-foot-tall (18 meters) rocket that gives small satellites dedicated rides to Earth orbit and beyond.
Rocket Lab is also developing a larger, partially reusable vehicle called Neutron, which is expected to debut before the year is out.
