
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
One third of Spanish pork export certificates blocked since swine fever outbreak, minister says - 2
Takeaways from AP’s report on potential impacts of Alaska’s proposed Ambler Access Road - 3
Benihana is 60 years old. Gen Z is lining up. - 4
Police break up illegal chicken slaughter in Germany - 5
The Leonid meteor shower is peaking early this week. Here’s what to know
CVS forecasts 2026 profit above estimates on strong performance
When fake data is a good thing – how synthetic data trains AI to solve real problems
Takeda's AI-crafted psoriasis pill succeeds in late-stage studies
Physicists and philosophers have long struggled to understand the nature of time: Here's why
See the metal guts of a satellite in this wild X-ray view | Space photo of the day for Dec. 4, 2025
Decrease in Home Buy Credits and Home loan Renegotiating Rates: An Outline of Latest things
Manageable Living: Eco-Accommodating Decisions for Regular day to day existence
‘Nahariya get ready’: Banner displaying Hezbollah threat mounted in Tehran’s Palestine Square
Figure out how to Consolidate a Brain science Certificate with Social Work













