Rocket Lab Electron

Electron is a two-stage small orbital launch vehicle with an optional Curie-powered kick stage (Photon). Both primary stages burn RP-1/LOX through Rutherford engines that use an electric pump cycle with battery-driven propellant pumps. Following a payload capacity increase announced in August 2020, the vehicle delivers up to 300 kg to LEO and 200 kg to 500 km SSO, up from 225 kg and 150 kg respectively.^[1][2]

First flown in May 2017 (orbital qualification flight; range safety terminated), with the first successful orbital mission in January 2018, Electron is actively flying from Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand and Wallops Island, Virginia.^[3] EO-relevant payloads carried include synthetic aperture radar and optical Earth observation smallsats.^[2]