Rocket Lab launches third Virginia satellite cluster in two days
Three new sensors join an orbiting fleet that now numbers nearly 50 units, supporting U.S. government tracking and monitoring tasks.
By Harper Hassan ·
Rocket Lab placed three commercial signals-intelligence satellites into orbit on Oct. 23.
An Electron rocket lifted off from the company's New Zealand facility at 8:11 p.m. local time. The payload carried three Hawk satellites built for HawkEye 360, a Virginia-based firm. The mission was designated We're Not Hawking Around. The spacecraft are scheduled to enter low Earth orbit at 323 miles altitude.
HawkEye 360 first launched satellites in 2018. The company now operates nearly 50 units in orbit. These spacecraft work in clusters of three to collect radio frequency data. They monitor maritime traffic, detect GPS jamming, and map communications for space defense purposes. The firm supplies this intelligence to the U.S. government and allied nations to improve decision-making speed.
This launch followed a similar mission just two days earlier. Three other HawkEye 360 satellites flew on a SpaceX Bandwagon-5 rideshare. Rocket Lab described its current year as busy, noting that the Electron is its 98th launch overall. The company has completed 19 flights in 2026. Sixteen used the two-stage Electron rocket, while three used HASTE, a suborbital variant for hypersonic testing.
The three new satellites will begin scanning for radio emissions after commissioning. They will join the existing network to provide continuous coverage. This expansion increases the density of the orbital fleet for signal tracking.
Source: Space.com
