Rocket Lab launches fourth set of Kinéis satellites
WASHINGTON — Rocket Lab launched a fourth set of satellites for French company Kinéis Feb. 8 as it extends its lead in the small launch sector.A Rocket Lab Electron lifted off from the company’s Launch Complex 1, Pad A, at 3:43 p.m. Eastern. The vehicle’s kick stage deployed its payload of five satellites a little more than an hour after liftoff in orbits with planned altitudes of 646 kilometers and inclinations of 97 degrees.The launch was the four of five Rocket Lab is performing for Kinéis, a French company developing a constellation for Internet of Things services, after launches in June, September and November of 2024. The companies signed a contract for five Electron launches in 2021 to deploy the full Kinéis constellation.Kinéis executives said last fall that they expected to...