The Electron rocket will deploy an innovative satellite designed to test new deployable structures and materials technologies for solar sail propulsion systems, paving the way for sunlight to power future deep space exploration

LONG BEACH, Calif., October 6, 2021 (Rocket Lab PR) – Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) (“Rocket Lab” or “the Company”), a global leader in launch services and space systems, today announced it has been selected to launch NASA’s Advanced Composite Solar Sail System, or ACS3, on the Electron launch vehicle.

NASA’s STMD is spearheading work on small spacecraft such as these two Nodes satellites. The Nodes spacecraft were taken to the International Space Station (ISS) in late 2015 via the fourth Orbital ATK cargo mission. Nodes will be deployed into low-Earth orbit from the ISS in early 2016 and test new network capabilities for operating swarms of spacecraft in the future. (Credit: NASA)

June 1, 2016 Update

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (NASA PR) — The Nodes satellites are performing perfectly and during their first week in orbit have already accomplished technology ‘firsts’ that demonstrate the value of very small, low-cost satellites as platforms for more complex science and exploration missions.

After making contact on the second day of the mission, the ground station at Santa Clara University received beacon packets from the Nodes satellites containing data on the health and status of each satellite.

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