New Zealand's Rocket Lab launches 13 cube satellites into orbit

nz_satellite Image from the ELaNa-19 mission | Rocket Lab

Rocket Lab, a rocket propulsion company launched 13 tiny cube satellites into the orbit. The company backed by investors in Silicon Valley, is the world's only private orbital launchpad on the Mahia Peninsula The 10-cm (3.9-inch) cube-shaped research satellites have been sent to study space. The Electron rocket lifted off on Sunday evening and within 53 minutes, all the CubeSats separated from the Electron's "kick stage" and settled into a circular orbit about 310 miles (500 kilometers) above Earth.

The tiny satellites will collect data on phenomena such as radiation belts or on autonomous movement in space for a group of universities and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). One of the satellites will prove out technology for a new solar-sailing system that could allow small spacecraft to explore deep space. The NASA mission has been named the Educational Launch of Nanosatellites or "ElaNa-19". The mission marked the first time that NASA cubesats have not had to share a rocket ride with a much bigger 'primary payload'. Rocket Lab's successful launch of a rocket that deployed satellites in January after years of preparation was an important step in the global commercial race to bring down financial and logistical barriers to space.

"Just a Test" and "Still Testing, are two other orbital demonstration flights by the company and were launched in May 2017 and January 2018 respectively. Should this mission be a success, Rocket Lab expects to increase its activity 2019, with a goal of 16 missions.