Electron : RAISE-4 : LC-1B : 14 December 2025 (03:09 UTC)

[catdlr]

Back in 40 min for payload deployment

[catdlr]

For those that came late, and need a short recap:

[catdlr]

T+32 min on the way up the southern Atlantic just off the Southern West coast of Africa. Deployment will occur off Spain when in communication with ground stations.

[catdlr]

About 10 min till deployment, just coming up on the equator. 

[catdlr]

T+45 min deployment communication zone coming up

[catdlr]

T+15 min

[catdlr]

crew back for coverage of orbit raising and deployment

Engines have already started and will take 2 minutes to circularize the orbit.

Awaiting confirmation from mission control.

[catdlr]

Orbit raising and deployment completed and confirmed.

Missions have been completed for RL.

JAXA will do the commissioning.

[catdlr]

Rocket Lab signing off.  Two more Electron launches are planned for December.

[catdlr]

https://twitter.com/Peter_J_Beck/status/2000054787501654511

Peter Beck
@Peter_J_Beck

100% mission success.

[catdlr]

https://twitter.com/RocketLab/status/2000055016187732338

Rocket Lab
@RocketLab

MISSION SUCCESS! Payload deployment confirmed for Electron's 77th launch, releasing @JAXA_en's  RAISE-4 satellite to a 540km LEO 🛰️🚀

[catdlr]

That does it for me.  On to Starlink in 90 minutes.   

[zubenelgenubi]

Thank you, Tony!

[catdlr]

https://twitter.com/Peter_J_Beck/status/2000073517870788625

Peter Beck
@Peter_J_Beck

Nice new camera angle from today’s launch.

[gabrielef71]

An infographic about the Electron launch. More details are available here: https://www.instagram.com/p/DSPLSHhgmmw/

[StraumliBlight]

JAXA: RAISE-4 Small Demonstration Satellite Transitions to Regular Operation Phase [Mar 5, translated]

The "Rapid Earth Innovative Satellite-4" (RAISE-4), launched on December 14, 2025, has completed the initial functional verification operation phase and has now moved into the regular operation phase.

RAISE-4 is one of nine satellites in the Innovative Satellite Technology Demonstration Project No. 4, and is equipped with eight demonstration theme devices selected through a public call for applications, and is intended for in-orbit demonstration.

Since the launch, we have been checking the basic functions of a satellite, such as power, communications, and attitude control, and preparing to conduct experiments on the demonstration equipment. We have also been checking the functionality of each demonstration equipment and have begun technical demonstrations.

RAISE-4 is scheduled to operate for approximately one year.