US defence satellite heading to space from Mahia

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

High-tech equipment from the United States government department instrumental in developing military stealth technology will be launched into space from Mahia next month.

After successful launches from its Mahia launch complex at Onenui Station last year, US-based small satellite launch company Rocket Lab confirmed a series of monthly launches planned for this year would start with a mission for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) at the end of February.

Rocket Lab chief executive Peter Beck said DARPA’s Radio Frequency Risk Reduction Deployment Demonstration (R3D2) mission intended to “space-qualify” a new membrane reflect-array antenna to improve radio communications in small spacecraft.

It also highlighted the Electron rocket’s suitability as a responsive, flexible and rapidly-acquired launch service for commercial and government missions alike.

“Rapid acquisition of small satellite launch capabilities is increasingly important to US Government organisations like DARPA. The ability to rapidly space-qualify new technology and deploy space-based assets with confidence on short notice is a service that didn’t exist for dedicated small satellites until now,” said Mr Beck.

To ensure precise insertion and responsible orbital deployment, the R3D2 payload will be deployed via the Electron Kick Stage to a circular orbit. Using this unique launch method, Electron’s second stage is left in a highly elliptical orbit where the stage is subject to significant atmospheric drag, causing it to de-orbit and burn up to nothing in a reduced time frame.

The Kick Stage is then used to deploy the satellite payload to a precise orbit, following which the Kick Stage can perform a de-orbit burn to speed up its re-entry, leaving no orbital debris behind in space.

DARPA’s stated “singular and enduring mission” is to make pivotal investments in breakthrough technologies for national security.

“This mission could help validate emerging concepts for a resilient sensor and data transport layer in low Earth orbit — a capability that does not exist today, but one which could revolutionise global communications by laying the groundwork for a space-based internet,” Fred Kennedy, director of DARPA’s tactical technology office, said.