Rocket Lab’s first launch of 2019 lifts a DARPA experiment into orbit

Update: Mission Success!

Mission success! Great kick stage burn and final orbit. Perfect flight!

— Peter Beck (@Peter_J_Beck) March 29, 2019

Lift-off! The Electron #R3D2 mission, launched from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 at 23:27 UTC on 28 March 2019. #OpeningAccessToSpace pic.twitter.com/bXq2aJPU1I

— Rocket Lab (@RocketLab) March 29, 2019

Rocket Lab, the Kiwi operation working on breaking into the launch industry with small but frequent launches, has its first launch of the year today, due to take off in just a few minutes. Tune in below!

The company recently, after the numerous delays endemic to the launch industry, made its first real commercial launches, which spurred a $140 million investment. It is now working on increasing launch cadence and building enough rockets to do so.

Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck was onstage at Disrupt SF not long ago talking about the new space economy. I thought it was a great discussion. (But then, I was the moderator, so how could it not be?)

The client for today’s launch is DARPA, which has opted to use smaller launch providers for a series of experiments and deployments. Onboard the Electron rocket today is the “RF Risk Reduction Deployment Demonstration, or R3D2. It’s an experimental antenna made of “a tissue-thin Kapton membrane” that will deploy from its small package to a full 7 feet across once in orbit.

The earliest opportunities for the launch were well over a week ago, but in this business, delays are expected. But all the little warning lights are off and the weather is fine, so we should be seeing R3D2 heading skyward in a few minutes.

You can watch the whole thing live below. I’ll update the post if there are any major updates.