Rocket Lab aborts launch of Korean disaster-monitoring satellite at last second

Rocket Lab tried to launch a Korean disaster-monitoring satellite tonight (Dec. 15), but it didn't happen.

An Electron rocket was scheduled to launch the "Bridging the Swarm" mission from Rocket Lab's New Zealand site tonight at 7:55 p.m. EST (0055 GMT and 1:55 p.m. local New Zealand time on Dec. 16).

But when the time came, the Electron's first-stage engines failed to fire up as planned. After the abort, the company declined to recycle for another attempt, citing a short launch window.

"We're standing down from today's launch attempt after an abort on ignition. As usual, we have back up opportunities in the coming days though so we'll be back with a new T-0 date shortly," Rocket Lab said via X this evening.

Tonight's abort further delays the "Bridging the Swarm" launch. It was originally supposed to fly last Wednesday (Dec. 10), but Rocket Lab delayed things to perform further checkouts.

"Bridging the Swarm" will launch a single satellite for the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) — NEONSAT-1A, an advanced Earth-observation spacecraft designed to monitor natural disasters throughout the Korean Peninsula.

KAIST already operates one such satellite — NEONSAT-1, which flew to orbit on an Electron in April 2024. But the goal is to build that fleet out over the next few years, and NEONSAT-1A is part of that vision.

The new spacecraft "will be deployed to validate KAIST’s advanced satellite's capability, boost operational utility and pave the way for the single NEONSAT satellite to become a constellation — thus fulfilling the mission's name, 'Bridging the Swarm,'" Rocket Lab wrote in an emailed statement on Dec. 9.

If all goes to plan on "Bridging the Swarm," the Electron will deploy NEONSAT-1A into low Earth orbit, 336 miles (540 kilometers) above our planet, about 54 minutes after launch.

Rocket Lab expedited the "Bridging the Swarm" launch, deciding to conduct the mission on a fast timeline, the company announced in the Dec. 9 statement.

"This launch rescheduling is a demonstration of Rocket Lab's operational efficiency, responsiveness, and flexibility to meet the ever-evolving needs of its customers, while continuing to launch more missions every year to support a growing manifest," Rocket Lab wrote.

Thanks to the sensor issue and launch abort, however, "Bridging the Swarm" has had to spend a few more days on Earth than Rocket Lab had originally planned.

Editor's note: This story was updated at 8:20 p.m. ET on Dec. 10, then again at 11 p.m. ET, with news of the scrub and the reason for it. It was updated again at 4 p.m. ET on Dec. 15 with news of the new launch date of Dec. 15, then again at 8 p.m. ET on Dec. 15 with news of the launch abort.