Rocket Lab USA, Inc. successfully launched its 50th Electron mission, deploying satellites for French Internet-of-Things (IoT) company Kinéis. Electron has reached the milestone of 50 launches faster than any commercially developed rocket in history. The No Time Toulouse mission lifted-off from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand at 6:13 am on 21 June NZST (6:13 pm, 20 June UTC), successfully deploying five satellites to a 635 km circular orbit.

The mission was the first of five dedicated Electron launches for Kinéis, and CLS (Collecte Localisation Satellites), to improve global IoT connectivity. The Kinéis constellation is designed to make it possible to connect and locate any connected object anywhere in the world, enabling data transmission to users in near-real time, at low bit rates and with very low energy consumption. By enabling internet connection to the Earth?s most remote locations, Kinéis constellation can support forest fire detection, water resource management, infrastructure and energy network monitoring, transport and logistics tracking, and much more.

Across 50 launches Rocket Lab has now deployed 190 satellites for a diverse range of customers and missions, including NASA missions to the Moon, the National Reconnaissance Office and Space Force missions supporting national security and defense, scientific research to combat climate change, and commercial constellations providing vital data and services to million of people on Earth.