Watch: Rocket Lab's first launch since failed mission

"Can't Believe it's not Optical" on the launchpad at Mahia.

After several weather-related delays, Rocket Lab's latest launch was successful, with lift-off at 3.05pm today. The second-stage and kick stage separated without problems, sending its payload toward its intended orbit.

The lift-off, from Launch Complex 1 at Mahia, was the company's 14th commercial flight and first since its failed July 5 mission.

LOX fill is underway at LC-1! Launch operations are tracking well for an on-time lift-off.

Lift-off is currently targeted for:
03:05 UTC
20:05 PT
23:05 ET
15:05 NZT

Mission info: https://t.co/zI36drt64x pic.twitter.com/CylJ6bcmnc

— Rocket Lab (@RocketLab) August 31, 2020

Regulators gave the Kiwi-American company the green light to resume operations last month after the cause of failed flight - a single faulty electrical connection - was identified.

Today's flight, "I Can't Believe It's Not Optical", was a dedicated mission for Capella Space, an information services company providing Earth observation data on demand, Rocket Lab says.

Capella's payload, "Sequoia", is a single 100kg-class microsatellite which will be the first publicly-available satellite in the company's commercial Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) constellation.

By positioning the satellite to a 45-degree inclination, Capella Space will maximise coverage over important areas such as the Middle East, Korea, Japan, Europe, South East Asia, Africa, and the US.

The mission name is a nod to Capella's SAR technology that provides high-quality images of the Earth day or night, and in any weather conditions. Capella's space-based radar can detect sub-0.5 meter changes on the surface of the Earth, providing insights and data that can be used for security, agricultural and infrastructure monitoring, as well as disaster response and recovery.