Rocket Lab launched its eighth mission this morning at Māhia Peninsula, breaking its annual record.
Vapour trails could be seen in New Zealand skies early this morning following the 6am launch nicknamed 'It Argos Up From Here' - a dedicated launch for General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS).
It's Rocket Lab’s 31st Electron launch overall and eighth for this year, beating the company’s previous record of seven launches in 2020.
The mission successfully deployed the GA-EMS-designed and manufactured GAzelle satellite carrying the Argos-4 Advanced Data Collection (A-DCS) payload.
The data-collecting payload on the satellite will gather information from sensors that are used as a part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) cooperative data and rescue services program, General Atomics said in a statement.
The wildlife tracking program is what Argos is best known for, especially for sea turtles and marine mammals, according to Rocket Lab.
"There are currently 22,000 active transmitters around the world that the Argos system is monitoring, with almost 7,800 tracking wildlife."
The mission will also assist with maritime security, offshore pollution and humanitarian assistance, the company said.
Footage taken by Alister Hooper in Taupō shows the trail from today's early morning launch. (Source: Supplied)
Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck congratulated the team, saying: “Beating our own annual launch record with such an important spacecraft delivering critical insights about our planet is a real privilege.”
A Taupō local sent in footage of the vapour trail following this morning's launch.
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