Rocket Lab successfully launches microsatellite after last month's flight failure

August 31, 2020

The rocket launch was aired live by the Kiwi-based aerospace company.

Rocket Lab successfully launched a rocket from Māhia Peninsula today, carrying a microsatellite into orbit.

It's the Kiwi-based aerospace company's first successful launch after a rocket failure in July.

Today's mission was the 14th Electron mission and its fourth this year, Rocket Lab said in a statement.

It launched from the Māhia Peninsula launch complex just after 3pm today.

The rocket was carrying a microsatellite, Sequoia, for private company Capella Space, deployed around 500km from Earth.

It's part of a larger mission for the company, which will see a "constellation" of satellites.

"Sequoia will provide insights and data that can be used for security, agricultural and infrastructure monitoring, as well as disaster response and recovery," Rocket Lab says.

Rocket Lab founder and chief executive Peter Beck says he's excited for future launches to resume.

"I'm also immensely proud of the team, their hard work, and dedication in returning Electron to the pad safely and quickly as we get back to frequent launches with an even more reliable launch vehicle for our small satellite customers," he says.

In early July, a faulty electrical connection meant the 13th Electron flight failed, the rocket losing connection with Earth after lift-off.

The company got the thumbs up from the Federal Aviation Administration to resume launches in early August.

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