spacetoday.net: Rocket Lab Electron launch fails

Posted: Sun, Jul 5, 2020, 10:02 AM ET (1402 GMT)
Electron launch failure July 2020 (Rocket Lab)

An Electron rocket malfunctioned during a launch Saturday, preventing its payload of seven satellites from reaching orbit. The Electron lifted off from Rocket Lab's Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand at 5:19 pm EDT (2119 GMT) Saturday after a one-day weather delay. The launch initially appeared to go well, but about 5 minutes and 45 seconds after liftoff, the rocket's second stage started to lose altitude, according to telemetry displayed on the company's webcast. Rocket Lab later confirmed that the launch had failed, but didn't disclose a potential cause for the failure. The Electron was carrying a Earth imaging smallsat for Canon, five SuperDove imaging satellites for Planet, and the Faraday-1 cubesat for British company In-Space Missions that hosted payloads for several customers.