
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.
Rocket Lab launched a satellite for a mystery customer on Thursday morning (Nov. 20).
The liftoff, which occurred at 7:43 a.m. EST (1243 GMT) from Rocket Lab's New Zealand site, came as something of a surprise. The company formally announced the impending launch of its workhorse Electron rocket less than five hours ahead of time.
The mission, called "Follow My Speed" was a complete success, Rocket Lab announced via X on Thursday morning.
"Today's 'Follow My Speed' mission marks 18 launches with 100% mission success for 2025 — more than any other year in Electron's history — making our rocket the most frequently flown orbital small launch vehicle in the world," the company said in another Thursday X post.
Fifteen of those 18 launches have been orbital missions. The other three were suborbital flights involving HASTE, a modified version of the 59-foot-tall (18-meter-tall) Electron that allows customers to test hypersonic technologies in the space environment.
We don't know much about "Follow My Speed."
Rocket Lab described the mission in vague terms only, saying that its goal was "to deploy a single satellite for a confidential commercial customer."
Keeping things so close to the vest isn't exactly odd for launch companies, who regularly loft national-security payloads or commercial satellites with sensitive, proprietary tech. Rocket Lab, for example, launched five satellites for a confidential customer just three months ago.
latest_posts
- 1
Sintana Energy flags major resource upgrade at Namibia oil discovery - 2
How Much Has the Iran War Cost the Average American Per Day? - 3
Exploring the Mind boggling Universe of Connections: Individual Bits of knowledge - 4
Second doctor in Matthew Perry overdose case sentenced to home confinement - 5
Satellite constellations could obscure most space telescope observations by late 2030s: 'That part of the image will be forever lost'
6 Robot Vacuum Cleaners for Easy Home Cleaning
Freed whale gets stranded again off German coast
Don't miss these five impressive spots in Bangkok
6 Agreeable Earphones To Wear
Research highlights potential dangers of ultra-processed foods for women under 50 regarding precancerous polyps
NASA chief Jared Isaacman says Texas may get a moonship, not space shuttle Discovery
Investigate Something else for Less: Financial plan Travel Objections
Landslides triggered by heavy rainfall kill at least 20 people in Tanzania
Israel's Druze use AI to present to UN testimonies of 'sexual terrorism' against Syrian Druze women











