
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.
LATEST POSTS
- 1
Well known SUVs With Low Energy Utilization In 2024 vote - 2
Tesla Germany Registrations Quadruple to 9,252 Vehicles in Best March Ever - 3
Hubble Space Telescope spies dusty debris from two cosmic collisions - 4
The most effective method to Apply Antiquated Ways of thinking in Current Brain science Practices - 5
How many ships have been attacked in the Gulf since start of Iran war?
Day to day Temporary Positions That Compensate Fairly in the US
Italy fertility rate fell to new low of 1.14 in 2025
Israel's fractured opposition hands Netanyahu a full term
Canada Awards C$1.5 Billion Defense Contracts to L3Harris, Airbus
Independence from the rat race for Recent college grads: Systems and Tips
Embrace the Outside: Exercises and Entertainment
Skeleton of famed musketeer possibly found in Dutch church
Manual for 6 famous sorts of cheddar
Climate engineering would alter the oceans, reshaping marine life – our new study examines each method’s risks












