Rocket Lab Launches Two Missions in Less Than 24 Hours

Today, Kinéis, a French Internet-of-things (IoT) constellation operator, successfully launched its 56th Electron mission, delivering five satellites to Low Earth Orbit. Kinéis is a global pioneer in launch services and space systems.

At Launch Complex 1, Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket launches off the pad to launch satellites into orbit for Kinéis, a French constellation operator. It was the second launch in less than a day for the company. Picture courtesy of Rory Gannaway and Rocket Lab

The “Ice AIS Baby” mission successfully launched five satellites into a low Earth orbit of 643 kilometres after launching off from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand, at 4:55 p.m. on November 25 NZDT (03:55 UTC). It was Rocket Lab’s fourteenth mission of 2024 and their 56th launch in total. Additionally, it increased Rocket Lab’s total number of satellites launched to 203, solidifying Electron’s standing as the world’s top small launch vehicle. The launch set a new company record for the quickest turnaround between launches, occurring just 21 hours and 55 minutes after Rocket Lab successfully completed a mission from Launch Complex 2 in Virginia.

Rocket Lab founder and CEO Sir Peter Beck explained: “Two successful launches less than 24 hours apart from pads in different hemispheres. That’s unprecedented capability in the small launch market and one we’re immensely proud to deliver at Rocket Lab. Customers like Kinéis are unlocking the potential of space and we’re excited to give them the keys to do so with frequent, dedicated, and reliable small launch opportunities.”

Kinéis CEO Alexandre Tisserant, explained: “The Kinéis teams have once again demonstrated their technical capabilities as satellite operators by taking control of these five new satellites at a sustained launch rate. This achievement would not have been possible without Rocket Lab’s Electron precision in placing our satellites in their planned positions. With 15 Kinéis satellites now in orbit, we’re one step closer to the full deployment of our dedicated IoT constellation for transmitting data in near-real time, anywhere on the globe. Congratulations to all our teams, who are doing an incredible job – and, let’s not forget, a European first! We’re equally enthusiastic about our second mission, AIS. In a rapidly consolidating market, Kinéis is establishing itself as a sovereign European player, combining technological expertise and strategic independence. With our new AIS offering, we provide maritime players with enhanced visibility over their fleets, while ensuring higher data reliability.”

The “Ice AIS Baby” mission was the third of five dedicated Electron launches for Kinéis, a company backed by private and public investors including the French government’s space agency CNES (Centre National d’Études Spatiales) and CLS (Collecte Localisation Satellites), an international space-based solutions provider, to improve global IoT connectivity. The Kinéis constellation is designed to make it possible to connect and locate any connected object anywhere in the world, enabling data transmission to users in near-real time, at low bit rates and with very low energy consumption. By enabling internet connection to the Earth’s most remote locations, Kinéis constellation can support forest fire detection, water resource management, infrastructure and energy network monitoring, transport and logistics tracking, and much more.