Electron rocket carrying Acadia satellite crashed minutes after liftoff
Rocket Lab failed to send a satellite into orbit. It was lost along with the Electron rocket in a crash.
Here's What We Know
On 19 September at 02:55 (EDT) or 23:55 (PDT), an Electron rocket lifted off from a spaceport in New Zealand. Minutes after launch, the flight was aborted. This happened already after the separation of the rocket's second stage.
The launch director has called an anomaly, resulting in the end of the mission. We'll share more information as it comes to hand.
- Rocket Lab (@RocketLab) September 19, 2023
The cause of the accident could be an anomaly in the Rutherford engine, which is equipped with the second stage of Electron. According to telemetry data, the speed of the second stage began to decrease.
During the We Will Never Desert You mission, the Electron launch vehicle was supposed to put Capella Space's Acadia satellite into orbit. It was designed for remote sensing of the Earth. The spacecraft was lost in a crash.
Rocket Lab has made 19 consecutive successful launches since May 2021.
Source: space
