
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.
NEUESTE BEITRÄGE
- 1
Chevron Says Damage at Wheatstone LNG Will Hamper Restart29.03.2026 - 2
Irish defence minister's trip to Lebanon cancelled03.04.2026 - 3
Apollo's impatient old-timers are rooting for NASA's return to the moon with Artemis II launch30.03.2026 - 4
Reports: Nepal's former PM arrested over deadly protest crackdown27.03.2026 - 5
Exploring ways to reduce the impact of space junk on Earth08.12.2025
Ähnliche Artikel
A definitive Manual for the 5 Off-road Bicycles Available05.06.2024
One lightly wounded after Iranian missile barrage targets northern Israel03.04.2026
U.S. overhauls childhood vaccine schedule, recommends fewer shots05.01.2026
Hezbollah sees potential win as Israel backs down from disarmament goal04.04.2026
German journalists' union condemns attack on reporters in village26.03.2026
Artemis II astronauts race to set a new distance record from Earth and behold the moon's far side06.04.2026
How mountain terraces have helped Indigenous peoples live with climate uncertainty15.01.2026
Scientists Just Discovered Japan’s First New Bird Species in Over 40 Years29.03.2026
6 Agreeable Earphones To Wear06.06.2024
SF Chinatown's historic Empress of China building being revived into cultural campus02.04.2026













