A Rocket Lab Electron rocket launched four novel satellite buses minutes after midnight from Virginia on Thursday.
The 20th launch of an Electron rocket was dubbed ‘Don’t Be Such A Square’ by the company and carried onboard the Space Test Program (STP)-S30 mission. Liftoff from Launch Complex 2 at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, Wallops Island, Virginia, occurred at 12:03 a.m. EST (0503 UTC). The four satellite buses, called DiskSats, were developed by The Aerospace Corporation and funded by NASA’s Small Spacecraft and Distributed Systems program.
During a roughly 10-minute deployment sequence, the four spacecraft were deployed into a circular low Earth orbit at 550 km (342 mi), wrapping up about an hour and eight minutes after liftoff. They are now under the management of the U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command’s (SSC) System Delta 89 Capability Development Branch.
“This launch is another proud moment in Rocket Lab’s long history of successful missions for defense, national security, and commercial space users,” Sir Peter Beck, Rocket Lab founder and CEO, said in a statement.
LIFTOFF for Electron! “Don’t Be Such A Square” is on its way to space for the @USSpaceForce and @USSF_SSC. pic.twitter.com/liHQUGWsYi
— Rocket Lab (@RocketLab) December 18, 2025
The STP-S30 mission was awarded to Rocket Lab in April 2024 under the Orbital Services Program (OSP-4) contract. The mission was pulled forward in the launch manifest, launching roughly five months ahead of schedule.
“We are immensely proud of this collaboration with Rocket Lab, NASA, Aerospace, and SYD 80’s Rocket Systems Launch Program (RSLP). Their exceptional teamwork and dedication have made this achievement possible,” said USSF Lt. Col. Brian Shimek, Director, Department of Defense, Space Test Program. “Proving these advanced technologies in the space environment is a critical step towards their integration into future operational Space Force systems, ensuring our nation maintains its edge in space.”
The Aerospace Corporation said the four DiskSats have a fiber composite main structure that is one-meter in diameter and 2.5 cm thick. Two of the satellites will remain in the 550 km orbit, but the other two will demonstrate their ability to operate at lower altitudes, referred to as Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO).
The satellite buses also include secondary experiments onboard “ranging from communications to space environment sensing,” SSC said in a prelaunch statement. Those are managed but the Space Experiment Review Board, which is part of the Department of Defense’s Space Test Program.
“STP stands at the forefront of ensuring continued U.S. space superiority. By providing reliable and responsive access for experimental payloads, we accelerate the development and deployment of critical technologies, maintaining our strategic advantage in an increasingly contested space domain,” Shimek said.
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