Rocket Lab’s Photon spacecraft!

Everything you need to know about the spacecraft and its planned missions in the thread below!

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(All media in the following thread belong to Rocket Lab)

In 2019, Rocket Lab announced that a kickstage was transitioned into satellite mode, making it the first Photon to ever fly! Now, a customer can come to Rocket Lab with just an instrument and Rocket Lab can deliver the rocket, mission design and satellite systems needed!

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While Photon can launch on every rocket, Rocket Lab's Electron rocket is the only one that launched Photon(s) so far! Learn more about Photons only launcher in the thread below:

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The Photon spacecraft has two configurations:

One variant is optimized for Low Earth Orbit, while to other is optimized for lunar & interplanetary missions. Because the LEO Photon is basically an upgraded kickstage, I will focus on the interplanetary variant in this thread.

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The Interplanetary Photon has an upgraded Curie engine, called the HyperCurie (left nozzle on photo), and bigger propellant tanks. The vehicle has a payload capacity of roughly 40 kilograms and has upgraded solar panels for power generation in deep space!

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HyperCurie has undergone multiple tests at Rocket Lab’s engine test facility near Hamilton, NZ and is ready to take NASA’s CAPSTONE satellite to the Moon! This upgraded Curie engine has a higher thrust and uses hypergolic propellants.

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It is confirmed that there are currently two missions planned that will see the Interplanetary Photon satellite in action: NASA’s CAPSTONE mission and Rocket Lab’s very own Venus mission!

The Venus mission will see an Interplanetary Photon satellite and a...

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… a small probe that will dive into the planet’s atmosphere! NASA’s CAPSTONE mission will see a Photon spacecraft launch a CubeSat into Lunar orbit for the Artemis program. Read more on the CAPSTONE mission in this thread:

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https://twitter.com/RocketLab360/status/1371573656988618757?s=20

Please know that not much technical information is known about the spacecraft and its features, but if you have any questions left you can always ask them in the replies!

Video on LEO Photon:


Video on CAPSTONE:


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