
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
Middle East hotels hit pandemic-era lows amid Iran war - 2
Medtronic has 'significant firepower' for multiple acquisitions, executives say - 3
Man Charged for Stealing ‘Incredibly Precious’ 286-Year-Old Violin, Worth More Than $200,000, from a Tavern - 4
Thousands of genomes reveal the wild wolf genes in most dogs’ DNA - 5
Flu cases spiking this holiday season, CDC data shows
Closets for Your Room: Plan and Utility Features
6 Famous kind of practice on the planet
Find Your Ideal Tea: Six Particular Assortments
The Magnificence of Do-It-Yourself Skincare: Regular Recipes and Tips
Instructions to Improve Your Mental Exploration with Cutting edge Measurements
Czech Republic's new premier: No money for Ukraine
3 moms, 3 countries, 1 very familiar problem: Why child care costs still don't add up for families
Find the Advantages of Deep rooted Getting the hang of: Extending Information and Self-awareness
How to watch ‘The Traitors’ U.K. Season 4 premiere today from the U.S.













