Bridging The Swarm (NeonSat-1A)

Mission

Bridging The Swarm (NeonSat-1A) on Electron. Fri 30 Jan 2026, 01:21:39 UTC. Reported outcome: Success. Launch site: Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A. Source: Launch Library 2.

The NeonSat-1A, carrying a high-resolution optical camera, is designed to test the constellation capabilities of the South Korean government's Earth observation micro-satellite constellation NeonSat (New-space Earth Observation Satellite), in particular technology improvements identified from operations of NeonSat-1 after its launch in April 2024. These technologies will in turn be incorporated into the next 10 NeonSat under construction, as well as providing more site re-visiting capabilities along with NeonSat-1. The NeonSat constellation is the first satellite system developed by the government using a mass-production approach for precise monitoring of the Korean Peninsula, lead by the Satellite Technology Research Center (SaTReC) at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Korea’s leading university dedicated to science and technology. Designed to capture near-real time natural disaster monitoring for the Korean peninsula, KAIST’s NEONSAT constellation is a collaboration across multiple Korean academic, industry, and research institutions, including SaTReC, which is leading the program’s system design and engineering. The NEONSAT program is funded by the Korean government’s Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT).

Mission type

Earth Science

Orbit

Sun-Synchronous Orbit

Launch timeline

Times are relative to liftoff.

1. T-2 minFri 30 Jan, 02:19 CET

   Startup

   The onboard computer takes control over the countdown and runs last checks

2. T-2 sFri 30 Jan, 02:21 CET

   Ignition

   Start of the engine ignition sequence

3. T-0Fri 30 Jan, 02:21 CET

   Liftoff

   First upwards movement of the rocket

4. T+56 sFri 30 Jan, 02:22 CET

   Supersonic

   Vehicle is supersonic

5. T+1 min 7 sFri 30 Jan, 02:22 CET

   Max-Q

   Maximum dynamic pressure

6. T+2 min 37 sFri 30 Jan, 02:24 CET

   MECO

   Cut-off of the main engine

7. T+2 min 40 sFri 30 Jan, 02:24 CET

   Stage 2 Separation

   Separation of the second stage from the first

8. T+2 min 43 sFri 30 Jan, 02:24 CET

   SES

   Start of the second engine

9. T+3 min 41 sFri 30 Jan, 02:25 CET

   Fairing Separation

   Separation of the payload fairing

10. T+6 min 35 sFri 30 Jan, 02:28 CET

    Battery Hotswap

    Electron Second stages switches to a new set of batteries and jettisons the depleted ones.

11. T+9 min 7 sFri 30 Jan, 02:30 CET

    SECO

    Cut-off of the second engine

12. T+9 min 11 sFri 30 Jan, 02:30 CET

    Kick Stage Separation

    Separation of the kick stage from the previous stage

13. T+51 min 13 sFri 30 Jan, 03:12 CET

    Kick Stage Ignition

    Start of the kick stage engine

14. T+53 min 8 sFri 30 Jan, 03:14 CET

    Kick Stage Cut-off

    Cut-off of the kick stage engine

15. T+53 min 58 sFri 30 Jan, 03:15 CET

    Payload Separation

    Final deployment of the payload from the rocket

Slip history

Changes recorded by Space Right Now

No changes since we started tracking on Sat 10 Oct 2026, 11:18 UTC.

Launch pad

Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A

Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand (NZ)

Coordinates: -39.262833, 177.864469