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This first two are Unicorn 2B and Unicorn 2C developed by Alba Orbital alongside the European Space Agency (ESA). The pair are intended to test Alba Orbital\u2019s Unicorn-2 small satellite bus, which they hope to market later down the line for a variety of applications.<\/p>\n
The other four satellites provided by Alba Orbital are ATL-1, a satellite developed by the Hungarian company, ATL limited, set to test a new form of thermal insulation. SMOG-P, a satellite developed by the Budapest University of Technology and Economics to measure human-made electromagnetic pollution.<\/p>\n
The Spanish developed FossaSat-1, which is intended to test a new type of Long Range (LoRa) Radio Frequency chirp, in the hopes it will be used to share educational information from orbit. And finally, TRSI-Sat, developed in Germany, which will be used to test new technologies.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/EKaCfnxUUAA_hvU.jpg\")
<\/p>\nAlba Orbital satellites loaded into their holder on top of Electron\u2019s \u201ckick stage\u201d prior to booster integration. Credit: Rocket Lab<\/p>\n
The seventh payload was procured by spaceflight inc, a satellite rideshare management company on behalf of ALE Co, based out of Tokyo, Japan. ALE (Astro Live Experiences) is a small startup using particles shot from small satellites to create artificial meteor showers.<\/p>\n
Flight 10 carried the 75kg ALE-2 into orbit, their second demonstration satellite, which follows ALE-1, launched on from Japan in early 2019.<\/p>\n
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Not only was the flight a large milestone for Rocket Lab in it being the 10th flight of their workhorse booster, but also a large milestone in the company\u2019s new goal of recovering and reusing Electron\u2019s first stage.\n<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/NSF-2019-11-28-23-11-49-107.jpg\")
<\/p>\nElectron recovery \u2013 render by Mack Crawford for NSF\/L2<\/p>\n
Earlier this year, Peter Beck, the founder and CEO of Rocket Lab, announced that Rocket Lab was working towards recovering Electron boosters, for later reuse. This would not only bring down the cost per launch of Electron but also help them work towards their goal of a once per week launch cadence.<\/p>\n
The Electron\u2019s first stage does not have the fuel or other necessary capabilities to perform a boost back and propulsive landings similar to rockets like SpaceX\u2019s workhorse Falcon 9 or Blue Origin\u2019s in development New Glenn, so the company had to go in another direction.<\/p>\n
Rocket Lab eventual settled on air recovery. Once Electron\u2019s first stage separates from the second stage, it will fall back towards Earth and open a parafoil and glide down further, before being snagged by a towing hook on board a helicopter and then fully recovered to fly another day.<\/p>\n