Orbital launch vehicle
Electron
Electron is a two-stage orbital expendable launch vehicle (with an optional third stage) developed by the American aerospace company Rocket Lab. Electron is a small-lift launch vehicle designed to launch small satellites and cubesats to sun-synchronous orbit and low earth orbit. The Electron is the first orbital class rocket to use electric-pump-fed engines, powered by the 9 Rutherford engines on the first stage. It is also used as a suborbital testbed (called HASTE) for hypersonics research.
Flights flown9758 scheduled
Success rate95.9%93/97
Payload to LEO300kg
Cost per kg to LEO$20,000$6M per launch
Maiden flight2017-05-25
Peak year202630 flights
Electron is built by Rocket Lab of the United States. Company background, funding, contracts and news for this operator are tracked on Space Index. It first flew on 25 May 2017.
Flight record
95.9% success rate93 of 97 flown · 4 failed
2017peak 2026 · 30 flights2026
First flight2017-05-25
Latest flight2026-09-26
Failures4
Consecutive successes56
Fastest turnaround21h 55m
Landing record
77.8% landings recovered7 of 9 flown · 2 failed
Payload
| Low Earth orbit | 300kg |
|---|---|
| Sun-synchronous orbit | 225kg |
| Launch cost | $6M |
| Cost per kg to LEO | $20,000 |
Vehicle
| Stages | 3 |
|---|---|
| Length | 18m |
| Diameter | 1.2m |
| Launch mass | 13t |
| Liftoff thrust | 162kN |
| Maiden flight | 2017-05-25 |
| Reusable | No |
Pads used
Orbits delivered
Low Earth Orbit72Sun-Synchronous Orbit67Suborbital8Polar Orbit4Lunar Orbit1
Compare
Launch history
| Date | Mission | Pad | Orbit | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-26 | Electron | Owlright, Owlright, Owlright (StriX Launch 13) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B | Low Earth Orbit | Success |
| 2026-09-19 | Electron | Owl By The Dozen (StriX Launch 12) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B | Low Earth Orbit | Success |
| 2026-09-11 | Electron | Happily Ever Faster (BlackSky Gen-3 5) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A | Low Earth Orbit | Success |
| 2026-09-02 | Electron | Owl Around The World (StriX Launch 11) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B | Low Earth Orbit | Success |
| 2026-08-20 | Electron | The Lightning God Defends (iQPS Launch 8) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B | Low Earth Orbit | Success |
| 2026-08-06 | Electron | The Grain Goddess Provides (iQPS Launch 7) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A | Low Earth Orbit | Success |
| 2026-06-26 | Electron | Ten Owl Of Ten (StriX Launch 10) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B | Low Earth Orbit | Success |
| 2026-06-19 | Electron | VICTUS HAZE Puma | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A | Low Earth Orbit | Success |
| 2026-06-11 | HASTE | Curveball | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2 (Launch Area 0 C) | Low Earth Orbit | Success |
| 2026-05-22 | Electron | Viva La StriX (StriX Launch 9) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B | Low Earth Orbit | Success |
| 2026-04-23 | Electron | Kakushin Rising (JAXA Rideshare) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Success |
| 2026-04-22 | HASTE | Bubbles | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2 (Launch Area 0 C) | Suborbital | Success |
| 2026-03-28 | Electron | Daughter Of The Stars (LEO-PNT Pathfinder A) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Success |
| 2026-03-20 | Electron | Eight Days A Week (StriX Launch 8) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B | Low Earth Orbit | Success |
| 2026-03-05 | Electron | Insight At Speed Is A Friend Indeed (BlackSky Gen-3 4) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A | Low Earth Orbit | Success |
| 2026-02-28 | HASTE | That's Not A Knife (DART AE) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2 (Launch Area 0 C) | Suborbital | Success |
| 2026-01-30 | Electron | Bridging The Swarm (NeonSat-1A) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Success |
| 2026-01-22 | Electron | The Cosmos Will See You Now (Open Cosmos Constellation Launch 1) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A | Polar Orbit | Success |
| 2025-12-21 | Electron | The Wisdom God Guides (iQPS Launch 6) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B | Low Earth Orbit | Success |
| 2025-12-18 | Electron | Don't Be Such A Square (STP-S30) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2 (Launch Area 0 C) | Low Earth Orbit | Success |
| 2025-12-14 | Electron | Raise and Shine (RAISE-4) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Success |
| 2025-11-20 | Electron | Follow My Speed (BlackSky Gen-3 3) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A | Low Earth Orbit | Success |
| 2025-11-18 | HASTE | Prometheus Run (VAN) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2 (Launch Area 0 C) | Suborbital | Success |
| 2025-11-05 | Electron | The Nation God Navigates (iQPS Launch 5) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B | Low Earth Orbit | Success |
| 2025-10-14 | Electron | Owl New World (StriX Launch 7) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A | Low Earth Orbit | Success |
| 2025-10-01 | HASTE | JUSTIN | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2 (Launch Area 0 C) | Suborbital | Success |
| 2025-09-23 | HASTE | JENNA | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2 (Launch Area 0 C) | Suborbital | Success |
| 2025-08-23 | Electron | Live, Laugh, Launch (Calistus A-E) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Success |
| 2025-08-05 | Electron | The Harvest Goddess Thrives (iQPS Launch 4) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B | Low Earth Orbit | Success |
| 2025-06-28 | Electron | Symphony In The Stars (EchoStar Lyra-4) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Success |
| 2025-06-26 | Electron | Get The Hawk Outta Here (4x HawkEye 360) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A | Low Earth Orbit | Success |
| 2025-06-11 | Electron | The Mountain God Guards (iQPS Launch 3) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A | Low Earth Orbit | Success |
| 2025-06-02 | Electron | Full Stream Ahead (BlackSky Gen-3 2) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B | Low Earth Orbit | Success |
| 2025-05-17 | Electron | The Sea God Sees (iQPS Launch 2) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A | Low Earth Orbit | Success |
| 2025-03-26 | Electron | Finding Hot Wildfires Near You (OroraTech OTC-P1) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Success |
| 2025-03-18 | Electron | High Five (Kinéis 21-25) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Success |
| 2025-03-15 | Electron | The Lightning God Reigns (iQPS Launch 1) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B | Low Earth Orbit | Success |
| 2025-02-18 | Electron | Fasten Your Space Belts (BlackSky Gen-3 1) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B | Low Earth Orbit | Success |
| 2025-02-08 | Electron | IoT 4 You and Me (Kinéis 16-20) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Success |
| 2024-12-21 | Electron | Owl The Way Up (StriX Launch 6) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Success |
| 2024-12-14 | HASTE | Stonehenge | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2 (Launch Area 0 C) | Suborbital | Success |
| 2024-11-25 | Electron | Ice AIS Baby (Kinéis 11-15) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Success |
| 2024-11-24 | HASTE | HASTE A La Vista (MACH-TB) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2 (Launch Area 0 C) | Suborbital | Success |
| 2024-11-05 | Electron | Changes In Latitudes, Changes In Attitudes (Protosat-1) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Success |
| 2024-09-20 | Electron | Kinéis Killed the RadIoT Star (Kinéis 6-10) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Success |
| 2024-08-11 | Electron | A Sky Full of SARs (Capella Acadia 3) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B | Low Earth Orbit | Success |
| 2024-08-02 | Electron | Owl for One, One for Owl (StriX Launch 5) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B | Low Earth Orbit | Success |
| 2024-06-20 | Electron | No Time Toulouse (Kinéis 1-5) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Success |
| 2024-06-05 | Electron | PREFIRE And Ice (PREFIRE 2) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B | Polar Orbit | Success |
| 2024-05-25 | Electron | Ready, Aim, PREFIRE (PREFIRE 1) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B | Polar Orbit | Success |
| 2024-04-23 | Electron | Beginning Of The Swarm (ACS3 & NeonSat-1) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Success |
| 2024-03-21 | Electron | Live and Let Fly (NROL-123) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2 (Launch Area 0 C) | Low Earth Orbit | Success |
| 2024-03-12 | Electron | Owl Night Long (StriX-3) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Success |
| 2024-02-18 | Electron | On Closer Inspection (ADRAS-J) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Success |
| 2024-01-31 | Electron | Four Of A Kind (NorthStar 1) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B | Low Earth Orbit | Success |
| 2023-12-15 | Electron | The Moon God Awakens (QPS-SAR-5) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B | Low Earth Orbit | Success |
| 2023-09-19 | Electron | We Will Never Desert You (Capella Acadia 2) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B | Low Earth Orbit | Failure |
| 2023-08-23 | Electron | We Love the Nightlife (Capella Acadia 1) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B | Low Earth Orbit | Success |
| 2023-07-18 | Electron | Baby Come Back (Rideshare) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B | Low Earth Orbit | Success |
| 2023-06-18 | HASTE | Scout's Arrow (DYNAMO-A) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2 (Launch Area 0 C) | Suborbital | Success |
| 2023-05-26 | Electron | Coming To A Storm Near You (TROPICS-3) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B | Low Earth Orbit | Success |
| 2023-05-08 | Electron | Rocket Like A Hurricane (TROPICS-2) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B | Low Earth Orbit | Success |
| 2023-03-24 | Electron | The Beat Goes On (BlackSky 18-19) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B | Low Earth Orbit | Success |
| 2023-03-16 | Electron | Stronger Together (Capella 9-10) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2 (Launch Area 0 C) | Low Earth Orbit | Success |
| 2023-01-24 | Electron | Virginia is for Launch Lovers (Hawk 6A-C) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2 (Launch Area 0 C) | Low Earth Orbit | Success |
| 2022-11-04 | Electron | Catch Me If You Can (MATS) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Success |
| 2022-10-07 | Electron | It Argos Up From Here (Argos-4) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Success |
| 2022-09-15 | Electron | The Owl Spreads Its Wings (StriX-1) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Success |
| 2022-08-04 | Electron | Antipodean Adventure (NROL-199) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B | Low Earth Orbit | Success |
| 2022-07-13 | Electron | Wise One Looks Ahead (NROL-162) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A | Low Earth Orbit | Success |
| 2022-06-28 | Electron | CAPSTONE | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B | Lunar Orbit | Success |
| 2022-05-02 | Electron | There and Back Again (Rideshare) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Success |
| 2022-04-02 | Electron | Without Mission A Beat (BlackSky 16-17) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Success |
| 2022-02-28 | Electron | The Owl’s Night Continues (StriX-β) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Success |
| 2021-12-09 | Electron | A Data With Destiny (BlackSky 14-15) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Success |
| 2021-11-18 | Electron | Love At First Insight (BlackSky 10-11) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Success |
| 2021-07-29 | Electron | It’s a Little Chile Up Here (STP-27RM) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A | Low Earth Orbit | Success |
| 2021-05-15 | Electron | Running Out of Toes (BlackSky 8-9) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A | Low Earth Orbit | Failure |
| 2021-03-22 | Electron | They Go Up So Fast (Rideshare) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Success |
| 2021-01-20 | Electron | Another One Leaves The Crust (GMS-T) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A | Polar Orbit | Success |
| 2020-12-15 | Electron | The Owl's Night Begins (StriX-α) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Success |
| 2020-11-20 | Electron | Return to Sender (Rideshare) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Success |
| 2020-10-28 | Electron | In Focus (Rideshare) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Success |
| 2020-08-31 | Electron | I Can’t Believe It’s Not Optical (Capella 2 & First Light) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A | Low Earth Orbit | Success |
| 2020-07-04 | Electron | Pics Or It Didn’t Happen (Rideshare) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Failure |
| 2020-06-13 | Electron | Don't Stop Me Now (Rideshare) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Success |
| 2020-01-31 | Electron | Birds of a Feather (NROL-151) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A | Low Earth Orbit | Success |
| 2019-12-06 | Electron | Running Out Of Fingers (Rideshare) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A | Low Earth Orbit | Success |
| 2019-10-17 | Electron | As The Crow Flies (Palisade) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A | Low Earth Orbit | Success |
| 2019-08-19 | Electron | Look Ma, No Hands (Rideshare) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A | Low Earth Orbit | Success |
| 2019-06-29 | Electron | Make It Rain (Rideshare) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A | Low Earth Orbit | Success |
| 2019-05-05 | Electron | That's a Funny Looking Cactus (STP-27RD) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A | Low Earth Orbit | Success |
| 2019-03-28 | Electron | Two Thumbs Up (DARPA R3D2) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A | Low Earth Orbit | Success |
| 2018-12-16 | Electron | This One's For Pickering (VCLS ELaNa XIX) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A | Low Earth Orbit | Success |
| 2018-11-11 | Electron | It's Business Time (Rideshare) | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A | Low Earth Orbit | Success |
| 2018-01-21 | Electron | Still Testing | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A | Low Earth Orbit | Success |
| 2017-05-25 | Electron | It's a Test | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A | Low Earth Orbit | Failure |
| 2026-10-21 | Electron | We're Not Hawking Around (3x HawkEye 360) | Unknown Pad | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Scheduled |
| TBD | Electron | The Sea God Surveys (iQPS Launch 9) | Unknown Pad | Low Earth Orbit | Scheduled |
| TBD | Electron | The Mountain God Rises (iQPS Launch 10) | Unknown Pad | Low Earth Orbit | Scheduled |
| TBD | HASTE | Leidos-4 | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2 (Launch Area 0 C) | Scheduled | |
| TBD | HASTE | Leidos-3 | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2 (Launch Area 0 C) | Scheduled | |
| TBD | Electron | BlackSky Gen-3 8 | Unknown Pad | Low Earth Orbit | Scheduled |
| TBD | Electron | BlackSky Gen-3 6 | Unknown Pad | Low Earth Orbit | Scheduled |
| TBD | Electron | BlackSky Gen-3 9 | Unknown Pad | Low Earth Orbit | Scheduled |
| TBD | Electron | LOXSAT 1 | Unknown Pad | Low Earth Orbit | Scheduled |
| TBD | Electron | BlackSky Gen-3 7 | Unknown Pad | Low Earth Orbit | Scheduled |
| TBD | HASTE | Leidos-5 | Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2 (Launch Area 0 C) | Scheduled | |
| TBD | Electron | iQPS Launch 11 | Unknown Pad | Low Earth Orbit | Scheduled |
| TBD | Electron | Aspera | Unknown Pad | Low Earth Orbit | Scheduled |
| TBD | Electron | TSIS-2 | Unknown Pad | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Scheduled |
| TBD | Electron | PolSIR-1 | Unknown Pad | Low Earth Orbit | Scheduled |
| TBD | Electron | PolSIR-2 | Unknown Pad | Low Earth Orbit | Scheduled |
| TBD | Electron | StriX Launch 14 | Unknown Pad | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Scheduled |
| TBD | Electron | StriX Launch 17 | Unknown Pad | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Scheduled |
| TBD | Electron | StriX Launch 16 | Unknown Pad | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Scheduled |
| TBD | Electron | StriX Launch 15 | Unknown Pad | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Scheduled |
| TBD | Electron | iQPS Launch 17 | Unknown Pad | Low Earth Orbit | Scheduled |
| TBD | Electron | iQPS Launch 12 | Unknown Pad | Low Earth Orbit | Scheduled |
| TBD | Electron | iQPS Launch 15 | Unknown Pad | Low Earth Orbit | Scheduled |
| TBD | Electron | iQPS Launch 16 | Unknown Pad | Low Earth Orbit | Scheduled |
| TBD | Electron | iQPS Launch 14 | Unknown Pad | Low Earth Orbit | Scheduled |
| TBD | Electron | iQPS Launch 13 | Unknown Pad | Low Earth Orbit | Scheduled |
| TBD | Electron | StriX Launch 46 | Unknown Pad | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Scheduled |
| TBD | Electron | StriX Launch 26 | Unknown Pad | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Scheduled |
| TBD | Electron | StriX Launch 31 | Unknown Pad | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Scheduled |
| TBD | Electron | StriX Launch 43 | Unknown Pad | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Scheduled |
| TBD | Electron | StriX Launch 38 | Unknown Pad | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Scheduled |
| TBD | Electron | StriX Launch 27 | Unknown Pad | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Scheduled |
| TBD | Electron | StriX Launch 24 | Unknown Pad | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Scheduled |
| TBD | Electron | StriX Launch 34 | Unknown Pad | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Scheduled |
| TBD | Electron | StriX Launch 42 | Unknown Pad | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Scheduled |
| TBD | Electron | StriX Launch 29 | Unknown Pad | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Scheduled |
| TBD | Electron | StriX Launch 20 | Unknown Pad | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Scheduled |
| TBD | Electron | StriX Launch 41 | Unknown Pad | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Scheduled |
| TBD | Electron | StriX Launch 35 | Unknown Pad | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Scheduled |
| TBD | Electron | StriX Launch 47 | Unknown Pad | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Scheduled |
| TBD | Electron | StriX Launch 19 | Unknown Pad | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Scheduled |
| TBD | Electron | StriX Launch 32 | Unknown Pad | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Scheduled |
| TBD | Electron | StriX Launch 36 | Unknown Pad | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Scheduled |
| TBD | Electron | StriX Launch 21 | Unknown Pad | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Scheduled |
| TBD | Electron | StriX Launch 30 | Unknown Pad | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Scheduled |
| TBD | Electron | StriX Launch 33 | Unknown Pad | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Scheduled |
| TBD | Electron | StriX Launch 23 | Unknown Pad | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Scheduled |
| TBD | Electron | StriX Launch 39 | Unknown Pad | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Scheduled |
| TBD | Electron | StriX Launch 28 | Unknown Pad | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Scheduled |
| TBD | Electron | StriX Launch 45 | Unknown Pad | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Scheduled |
| TBD | Electron | StriX Launch 22 | Unknown Pad | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Scheduled |
| TBD | Electron | NorthStar 2 | Unknown Pad | Low Earth Orbit | Scheduled |
| TBD | Electron | StriX Launch 44 | Unknown Pad | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Scheduled |
| TBD | Electron | StriX Launch 40 | Unknown Pad | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Scheduled |
| TBD | Electron | StriX Launch 25 | Unknown Pad | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Scheduled |
| TBD | Electron | NorthStar 3 | Unknown Pad | Low Earth Orbit | Scheduled |
| TBD | Electron | StriX Launch 37 | Unknown Pad | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Scheduled |
| TBD | Electron | StriX Launch 18 | Unknown Pad | Sun-Synchronous Orbit | Scheduled |
Specifications from Launch Library 2 by The Space Devs, launch records from Space Index. Derived figures are computed here; see sources and method.
Further reading: Wikipedia · Operator page