At 0600 GMT on 5 May 2019, a Rocket Lab Electron KS rocket was launched from Onenui Station on the Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand. On board were the officially titled STP-27RD mission were three US military small satellites: The US Air Force Academy’s Falcon Ode is a calibrated radar and optical target of approximate mass 50 kg. The 150 kg Harbinger satellite is to test the systems of a new bus design from York Systems on behalf of the US Army Space and Missile Defence Command. The 3 kg CubeSat class SPARC-1 = Space Plug and play Architecture Research Cubesat-1 will test modular spacecraft avionics for the US Air Force Research Laboratory in conjunction with Sweden’s military.
Electron launches three small satellites on flight STP-27RD. Courtesy: Rocket Lab
