Thu Sep 19 04:26:54 UTC 2024: ## Rocket Lab Electron Launch Aborted at Last Second Due to Sensor Issue

**Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand** – A planned launch of a Rocket Lab Electron rocket carrying five satellites for the French Internet of Things company Kinéis was aborted at the last moment Wednesday due to a ground system sensor triggering an automated shutdown of the rocket’s engines.

The launch, nicknamed “Kinéis Killed the RadIOT Star,” was scheduled for 11 a.m. NZST (7 p.m. EDT) from Launch Complex 1 on New Zealand’s Mahia Peninsula. This would have been the 53rd flight of the Electron rocket and the second of five dedicated flights for Kinéis.

Rocket Lab confirmed that the rocket, the launch pad, and the Kinéis payload remain unharmed following the safe on-pad abort at T-0. The launch had already been delayed from overnight Monday due to poor weather.

The mission aimed to deploy five more satellites into Kinéis’ planned 25-satellite constellation, bringing the total number of satellites launched by Rocket Lab to 192. Kinéis expects to complete its constellation launch by early next year.

This latest abort comes after Rocket Lab’s successful launch of a string of secret NRO spy satellites from Virginia in March and a NASA solar sail technology mission from the same New Zealand launch pad in April.

Rocket Lab will now focus on identifying the cause of the sensor issue and determining a new launch window.

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