HawkEye 360 Inc., the world’s leading commercial provider of space-based radio frequency (RF) data and analytics, announced its Cluster 6 next-generation satellites is scheduled to launch during a 13-day window that opens on December 7 aboard the inaugural Rocket Lab Electron flight at Virginia Space’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport within NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility. The satellites will enter an inclined orbit to boost revisits over the mid-latitude regions of the globe. This is the first of three dedicated Rocket Lab USA Inc. flights contracted by HawkEye 360.
“We’re proud to be a Virginia-based company, with Virginia-developed technology, launching out of the Virginia spaceport,” said HawkEye 360 CEO, John Serafini. “We selected Rocket Lab because of the flexibility it enables for us to place the satellites into an orbit tailored to benefit our customers. Deploying our satellites on Rocket Lab’s inaugural launch is a giant leap in Virginia’s flourishing space economy.”
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“Rocket Lab provides a basis for expanding our orbits while driving down our revisit rates throughout the globe,” said HawkEye 360 COO, Rob Rainhart. “I’m so proud of the teams and all that they have accomplished.”
“Our first Electron mission from Launch Complex 2 establishes a new path to orbit for the nation and what better way to start that than by teaming up with HawkEye 360 to launch Virginia-built spacecraft,” said Rocket Lab founder and CEO, Peter Beck. “Electron has long been recognized as the leading small launch vehicle and we look forward to continuing to provide a reliable path to orbit, now from two hemispheres.”
“The Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority is honored to support the launch of this historic mission alongside HawkEye 360 and Rocket Lab. Hosting Virginia-based HawkEye 360’s payload at our Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport makes this event even more significant,” said Ted Mercer, CEO and Executive Director at Virginia Space. “This is an exciting time for Virginia Space and the Eastern Shore, and we’re looking forward to our continued partnership with HawkEye 360 and Rocket Lab and seeing what the future holds for Virginia’s burgeoning space presence.”