Rocket Lab scrubs launch of Korean disaster-monitoring satellite due to sensor issue

A Korean disaster-monitoring satellite wasn’t able to get off the ground Wednesday (Dec. 10) after all.

An Electron rocket had been scheduled to launch the “Bridging the Swarm” mission from Rocket Lab‘s New Zealand site on Wednesday evening (Dec. 10). But that didn’t happen.

“We’re standing down from today’s launch attempt to assess sensor data, but we have plenty of backup opportunities in the coming days,” Rocket Lab said via X on Wednesday night. A new target date will be announced soon, the company added.

SCRUB | Rocket Lab – ‘Bridging The Swarm’ Launch – YouTube

Watch On

“Bridging the Swarm” will launch a single satellite for the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) — NEONSAT-1A, an advanced Earth-observation spacecraft designed to monitor natural disasters throughout the Korean Peninsula.

KAIST already operates one such satellite — NEONSAT-1, which flew to orbit on an Electron in April 2024. But the goal is to build that fleet out over the next few years, and NEONSAT-1A is part of that vision.

The new spacecraft “will be deployed to validate KAIST’s advanced satellite’s capability, boost operational utility and pave the way for the single NEONSAT satellite to become a constellation — thus fulfilling the mission’s name, ‘Bridging the Swarm,'” Rocket Lab wrote in an emailed statement on Tuesday evening (Dec. 9).

If all goes to plan on “Bridging the Swarm,” the Electron will deploy NEONSAT-1A into low Earth orbit, 336 miles (540 kilometers) above our planet, about 54 minutes after launch.

Rocket Lab expedited the “Bridging the Swarm” launch, deciding to conduct the mission on a fast timeline, the company announced in Tuesday evening’s statement.

“This launch rescheduling is a demonstration of Rocket Lab’s operational efficiency, responsiveness, and flexibility to meet the ever-evolving needs of its customers, while continuing to launch more missions every year to support a growing manifest,” Rocket Lab wrote.

Editor’s note: This story was updated at 8:20 p.m. ET on Dec. 10, then again at 11 p.m. ET, with news of the scrub and the reason for it.