Rocket Lab USA (NASDAQ:RKLB) announced that its Electron launch vehicle is on the launch pad and ready for lift-off during a launch window that opens on July 12.
The mission is a national security operation for the United States Government’s National Reconnaissance Office and will be deployed from the Electron rocket’s Kick Stage, the low Earth orbit configuration of the rocket’s upper stage that was recently used to successfully deliver NASA’s Capstone satellite on its mission to the Moon.
“Wise One Looks Ahead” is the first of two responsive space missions for the NRO scheduled to launch within only 10 days of each other, with NROL-199 scheduled to launch from Launch Complex 1 Pad B no earlier than July 22.
The NROL-162 and NROL-199 missions will carry national security payloads designed and operated by the National Reconnaissance Office in partnership with the Australian Department of Defence as part of a broad range of cooperative satellite activities with Australia.
Shares of Rocket Lab USA (RKLB) fell 2.15% in Monday morning to $4.16 vs. the 52-week trading range of $3.53 to $21.24.