Rocket Lab successfully launched a classified satellite into orbit early Friday, completing its second Electron mission in less than 48 hours and marking a record pace for its New Zealand launch site.
A Rocket Lab Electron lifted off carrying a satellite for an secretive customer. Credit: Rocket Lab
The Electron rocket lifted off from Launch Complex 1 on New Zealand’s Mahia Peninsula at 3:08 a.m. Eastern Time (7:08 p.m. local time). Less than an hour later, the rocket’s kick stage deployed its undisclosed payload into a 650-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit.
While Rocket Lab withheld details about the satellite and its mission, the company confirmed that it was launched for a confidential commercial customer. That customer reportedly signed a two-launch agreement with Rocket Lab just four months ago, with the second mission scheduled to fly before the end of the year.
Speculation in the space industry points to EchoStar as the likely client. The company is currently building out its Lyra constellation— a fleet of small satellites designed to support Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity. EchoStar previously launched two Lyra satellites on SpaceX’s Transporter rideshare missions. Adding to the intrigue, the mission patch for this Electron launch featured an image of a satellite that closely resembles official renderings of the Lyra platform.
This mission comes on the heels of another Electron launch on June 26, when Rocket Lab sent four HawkEye 360 radio-frequency monitoring satellites into orbit from the same launch complex, but from a different pad. The rapid turnaround—less than 48 hours between launches—is the fastest to date from Rocket Lab’s twin pads at Launch Complex 1 and underscores the company’s growing operational tempo.
“The future of space is built on proven performance, and Electron continues to deliver against a stacked launch manifest this year,” said Rocket Lab founder and CEO Peter Beck in a post-launch statement.
June has proven to be a particularly busy month for the company. In addition to the two recent missions, Rocket Lab launched a BlackSky imaging satellite on June 2 and a radar imaging satellite for Japanese firm iQPS on June 11. The Friday launch was the company’s fourth of the month and the tenth of 2025.
Rocket Lab has previously stated its goal of exceeding 20 Electron launches this year, as the company continues to position itself as a dependable launch provider for small satellite missions across commercial, government, and defense sectors.
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