Second Electron launch scheduled for 6 p.m. tonight weather permitting

Wallops Island, Virginia. March 10, 2023 – Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority’s (Virginia Space) Mid-Atlantic Regional  Spaceport (MARS) will be launching the second Rocket Lab Electron mission on Saturday, March 11. The launch window is 6:00-8:00 pm EST. The “Stronger Together” mission will be deploying Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellites for Capella Space, allowing the San Francisco-based company to expand its SAR capabilities.

“We are excited about the opportunity to increase our launch tempo,” said Roosevelt Mercer, Jr., Virginia Space CEO and Executive Director. “We are proud of our partnership with Rocket Lab and the work we are doing together to launch the company’s second Electron rocket from MARS.”

Virginia Space is committed to providing assured and reliable access to space for small- and mid-size rockets. “We look forward to our continuing partnership with Rocket Lab as we manifest additional Electron missions from MARS,” said Mercer.

Peter Beck, Rocket Lab founder and CEO explained that “Electron launches from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2 at MARS, within the NASA Wallops Flight Facility, have opened up responsive and reliable space access for small satellite operators from Virginia, and it’s exciting to once again be counting down to an Electron launch from the Eastern Shore so soon after our inaugural mission in January.”

“Responsive launch is nothing new to Rocket Lab, said Beck. “`In fact right now, we have another rocket on the launch pad at our launch site in New Zealand, preparing for launch within days of lift-off of this upcoming mission from Launch Complex 2.” Virginia Space, a political subdivision of the Commonwealth of Virginia, owns and operates

MARS. The spaceport has three launch pads, including Launch Complex 2/Pad-0C, the multi-user launch pad from which Electron launches. MARS also includes the nation’s newest payload processing facility and an unmanned aircraft system airfield. Additional Electron launches from MARS are planned in 2023.

A live webcast of the launch will be available 20 minutes before liftoff on the Virginia Space website: www.vaspace.org.

WESR will bring you the live countdown beginning at approximately 5:40 p.m. today.