{"id":17404,"date":"2022-03-26T01:30:39","date_gmt":"2022-03-25T17:30:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/seattles-space-needle-makes-its-debut-on-rocket-lab-mission-patch-thanks-to-spaceflight-inc\/"},"modified":"2022-03-26T01:30:39","modified_gmt":"2022-03-25T17:30:39","slug":"seattles-space-needle-makes-its-debut-on-rocket-lab-mission-patch-thanks-to-spaceflight-inc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/seattles-space-needle-makes-its-debut-on-rocket-lab-mission-patch-thanks-to-spaceflight-inc\/","title":{"rendered":"Seattle\u2019s Space Needle makes its debut on Rocket Lab mission patch, thanks to Spaceflight Inc."},"content":{"rendered":"
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The rocket nose cone for Rocket Lab\u2019s mission to launch two BlackSky satellites is emblazoned with a mission patch that features Seattle\u2019s Space Needle on the right side. (Rocket Lab via Twitter)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What could be more fitting than to put Seattle\u2019s Space Needle on the patch for an actual space mission? <\/p>\n

Even though this particular mission is due to be launched half a world away, there\u2019s more than one Seattle connection to the Rocket Lab mission that\u2019s due for liftoff as early as April 1.<\/p>\n

The payloads for the launch from Rocket Lab\u2019s base on New Zealand\u2019s Mahia Peninsula are two satellites built by a Seattle-area manufacturer, LeoStella, for BlackSky\u2019s Earth-observing constellation. LeoStella is a joint venture co-owned by Thales Alenia Space, a French-Italian venture; and BlackSky, which is based in the Washington, D.C., area but has a Seattle office.<\/p>\n

Most significantly, preparations for the launch were handled by Seattle-based Spaceflight Inc., which specializes in making the arrangements for putting small satellites like BlackSky\u2019s spacecraft into orbit.<\/p>\n

On the patch for the mission, whimsically dubbed \u201cWithout Mission a Beat,\u201d the Space Needle rises to the right of Rocket Lab\u2019s Electron launch vehicle. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a great patch, no?\u201d Jodi Sorensen, Spaceflight Inc.\u2019s vice president of marketing, said in a tweet. \u201cThe Needle\u2019s a nod to @SpaceflightInc, and we love it!\u201d<\/p>\n

In a parallel nod to BlackSky, the Washington Monument is also on the patch.<\/p>\n

CollectSpace\u2019s Robert Pearlman, who keeps close track of news angles involving space artifacts and memorabilia, said this could well be the first time Seattle\u2019s iconic monument has been featured on a space mission patch, \u201cunless the Space Needle appeared on a payload patch.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA quick search didn\u2019t bring up any other examples,\u201d he said in a tweet. <\/p>\n

\u201cWithout Mission a Beat\u201d will mark the 25th launch for Rocket Lab, which became a publicly traded company last August thanks to a blank-check merger. BlackSky, which was once Spaceflight Inc.\u2019s sister company, also went public last year.<\/p>\n

The launch would boost BlackSky\u2019s constellation to 14 satellites, marking one more step toward the company\u2019s goal of having 30 satellites in low Earth orbit. BlackSky is already delivering a steady flow of satellite photos for government and commercial clients, including imagery documenting the effects of the war in Ukraine.<\/p>\n

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