
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
Turkey's Erdogan denounces Israel-Greece-Cyprus trilateral summit, affirms support for Gaza - 2
Iranian missile hit on Ne'ot Hovav factory leads to fear of chemical leakage - 3
The Way to Fruitful Weight reduction: Individual Wellbeing Excursions - 4
6 Exemplary Mexican Dishes - 5
5 Great Home Remodel Administrations With Green Arrangements In 2024
NASA launches science balloon in Antarctica | Space photo of the day for Dec. 22, 2025
Exploring Asia’s Realm of Flying Snakes
Vote in favor of your Favored sort of footwear
As juries turn against social media for harming kids, Big Tech's invincibility starts to show cracks
Here's what the Artemis 2 astronauts will be doing on each day of NASA's historic moon mission
Figure out how to Perceive Warnings while Looking for an Auto Collision Lawyer
Artemis 2 astronauts are now headed to the moon. Why has it taken humanity so long to go back?
A Couple of Reasonable Guitars for 2024
Why do people get headaches and migraines? A child neurologist explains the science of head pain and how to treat it













