Electron | Get The Hawk Outta Here (4x HawkEye 360)
Electron •
📝 Mission Description
Electron Launch: Deploying HawkEye 360's Next Wave of RF Intelligence Satellites
On June 26, 2025, Rocket Lab's Electron rocket is set to lift off from its launch site, carrying four satellites for HawkEye 360 under the mission aptly named "Get The Hawk Outta Here." This deployment marks a significant step in expanding a constellation designed to revolutionize global radio frequency (RF) monitoring from space. HawkEye 360 operates a network of small satellites that provide civil signal intelligence (SIGINT), focusing on non-military applications like tracking transportation across air, land, and sea, aiding emergency responses, and delivering high-precision RF mapping and analytics from low Earth orbit (LEO).
The mission's primary objectives center on enhancing HawkEye 360's capabilities in geolocating and analyzing RF signals worldwide. Three of the payloads form Cluster 12, which will operate in a dawn-to-dusk polar orbit. This configuration allows the satellites to maintain consistent solar exposure, optimizing power efficiency for continuous data collection. These "Hawk" satellites, each weighing around 25 kilograms, use advanced RF sensors to detect emissions from sources like maritime vessels, aircraft, and ground-based communications. By triangulating signals from multiple satellites, the system can pinpoint locations with meter-level accuracy, supporting tasks such as illegal fishing detection, search-and-rescue operations, and environmental monitoring. The fourth satellite, Kestrel-0A, serves as an experimental platform to test emerging technologies, including potential upgrades in sensor sensitivity and data processing. This could pave the way for future enhancements like real-time analytics or integration with AI-driven threat detection, broadening the constellation's utility beyond current civil SIGINT roles.
Powering this mission is Rocket Lab's Electron, a lightweight, two-stage launch vehicle tailored for small satellite deployments. Standing 18 meters tall with a diameter of 1.2 meters, Electron has a payload capacity of up to 300 kilograms to LEO, making it ideal for missions like this one. Its first stage employs nine Rutherford engines, each producing 25 kilonewtons of thrust through innovative electric-pump-fed propulsion using liquid oxygen and kerosene. The second stage uses a single Rutherford engine optimized for vacuum performance, while an optional third-stage kick motor can fine-tune orbital insertions. Electron's carbon-composite structure keeps its dry mass low at about 12.5 tons, enabling rapid production and cost-effective launches—typically around $7 million per flight. This design emphasizes reusability potential, with Rocket
ℹ️ Official Details
HawkEye 360 is a a space-based civil global intelligence satellite network using radio frequency (RF) technology to help monitor transportation across air, land and sea and assist with emergencies, and to provide civil SIGINT (Signal Intelligence) mission.
The constellation of small satellites (named Hawk) will collect information on specific radio signals worldwide to provide high-precision radio frequency mapping and analytics from Low Earth orbit (LEO).
3 of the satellites will comprise HawkEye 360’s Cluster 12 and will
operate in a dawn-to-dusk polar orbit, while the 4th is Kestrel-0A, an experimental satellite designed to evaluate emerging capabilities and future technology enhancements.
🎯 Post-Launch Analysis
The Electron mission "Get The Hawk Outta Here" on June 26, 2025, achieved a successful orbital insertion and payload deployment for HawkEye 360’s four satellites. The rocket’s technical performance was flawless, delivering the payloads into their designated Low Earth Orbit (LEO) with precision. The deployment included three satellites for Cluster 12, operating in a dawn-to-dusk polar orbit for RF mapping and analytics, and Kestrel-0A, an experimental satellite for testing future technologies. Key engineering outcomes highlight the Electron’s reliability for small satellite launches and the robustness of HawkEye 360’s design for civil SIGINT missions. This success reinforces confidence in the Electron platform for multi-payload missions and validates HawkEye 360’s approach to global intelligence gathering. The mission sets a strong foundation for future constellations and technological advancements, potentially expanding capabilities in transportation monitoring and emergency response.