Launch Success
Liftoff Time (GMT)
22:32:00
Tuesday April 23, 2024
Watch Replay
Official Livestream
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NASA’s ACS3 technology demonstration uses composite materials - or a combination of materials with different properties, in its novel, lightweight booms that deploy from a CubeSat to support a solar sail. Just as a sailboat is powered by wind in a sail, solar sails employ the pressure of sunlight for propulsion, eliminating the need for conventional rocket propellant. Data obtained from the ACS3 demonstration will guide the design of future larger-scale composite solar sail systems that could be used for space weather early warning satellites, near-Earth asteroid reconnaissance missions, or communications relays for crewed exploration missions.
Sun-Synchronous Orbit
1 Payload
16.1 kilograms
NeonSat-1 is a high-resolution optical satellite that will be deployed as a technology demonstration for a planned future Earth observation constellation for KAIST. KAIST is Korea’s leading science and technology institution, having developed and operated Korea’s very first satellite KAIST when it was successfully launched more than 30 years ago.
Sun-Synchronous Orbit
1 Payload
Agency
Rocket LabPrice
$7.50 million
Rocket
Height: 18m
Payload to Orbit
LEO: 320 kg
Liftoff Thrust
224 Kilonewtons
Fairing
Diameter: 1.2m
Height: 4.05m
Stages
3
47th
Mission
5th
Mission of 2024
47th
Mission
5th
Mission of 2024
78th
Orbital launch attempt