Rocket Lab Prepares to Launch for Classified Customer

Mission scheduled for no earlier than Tuesday morning EST will serve a classified commercial customer.

Monday, November 04, 2024 at 03:09 PM ET

Verified

Rocket Lab launches its flagship Electron rocket on a September mission for commercial customer Kinéis. [Courtesy: Rocket Lab]

Key Takeaways:

Rocket Lab is set to launch its 12th mission of 2024 for a confidential commercial customer from New Zealand, utilizing its Electron rocket.
The mission highlights Rocket Lab's rapid response capabilities, with the contract secured less than two months before the scheduled launch.
The confidential customer is speculated to be E-Space, a communications company and former client that recently received payload approval from the New Zealand Space Agency.

See a mistake? Contact us.

Rocket Lab, one of the world’s largest rocket launch providers outside of SpaceX, is gearing up for a secret mission.

The company expects to launch its 12th mission of 2024, named after the Jimmy Buffett song “Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes,” no earlier than Tuesday at 5:30 a.m. EST. Lifting off from Rocket Lab’s exclusive Launch Complex 1 facility in New Zealand, the firm’s Electron rocket will launch a satellite to orbit for a confidential commercial customer. It will be the company’s 54th mission overall and 50th to depart from Launch Complex 1.

Jack Daleo

Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.