Curveball Launch

Mission brief

The mission

Sub-orbital launch under Rocket Lab’s Hypersonic Accelerator Suborbital Test Electron (HASTE) program, details TBD. Note: Despite reported as a strictly sub-orbital launch program, this launch was cataloged by the USSF to have left 2 rocket stages in a 200 km, 40° very low Earth orbit by the US Space Force. The payload was not cataloged and may have been deliberately de-orbited.

PayloadCurveball

OrbitLow Earth Orbit

CustomerRocket Lab

Stages3

PadRocket Lab Launch Complex 2 (Launch Area 0 C), Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia, USA

Flight plan

Mission timeline

15 / 15100%

The range

Where it leaves Earth

Launch site

Ground vector

Site locked

Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2 (Launch Area 0 C)

Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia, USA

Global range

Latitude: 37.833°N
Longitude: 75.488°W

Can I see this?

Distance and a plain visibility call from a place you choose. Trajectory is not modeled — night launches travel farther across the sky than daylight ones.

Save a viewing place to judge this pad from where you stand.

Range weather

Launch commit criteria

Clear

Watch

TrackingNo active constraints

Weather rules

Clear — tracking no weather issues at this time.

Primary concern: No weather issues
Rule count: 0
Temperature: Not reported
Surface wind: Not reported

Window

04:00 AM UTC – 09:15 AM UTC

Hardware

Vehicle & provider

Vehicle

Electron

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Electron is a two-stage orbital expendable launch vehicle (with an optional third stage) developed by the American aerospace company Rocket Lab. Electron is a small-lift launch vehicle...

Height18 m

LEO Payload300 kg

Launches138

Successes93

Provider

Rocket Lab

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USA • Founded 2006

Rocket Lab is an American aerospace manufacturer with a wholly owned New Zealand subsidiary. The company develops lightweight, cost-effective commercial rocket launch services. The Electron Program was founded...

Reliability