Official name LUNAR PHOTON
Alternative name Lunar Photon
Cospar ID 2022-070C
Norad ID 52916
Launch date 2022-06-28
Launch site RLLC
Launch vehicle Electron Photon-IP
Country/Organization USA
Type application Technology
Operator Rocket Lab
RCS size UNKNOWN
Decay date ON ORBIT
Raan (deg) 321.8334
Arg of perigee (deg) 344.499
Shape Oct Box + Trunc Cone
Mass (kg) 300
Height (m) 1.1
Width (m) 1.4
Depth (m) 1
Span (m^2) 1.4
Contractors Rocket Lab
Equipment Camera ?
Propulsion None
Configuration Photon-IP
Power Solar cells, batteries

Lunar Photon (Note: actual name of this mission not yet revealed) is Rocket lab's demonstration mission for their Photon-IP bus, a satellite bus based on their Kick Stage Upper stage of the Electron rocket.

In this mission, the Lunar Photon acts both as an upper stage for the CAPSTONE and as an independent satellite bus carrying some instruments on its own. Reportedly Lunar Photon will perform a Lunar fly taking some images by after deploying the CAPSTONE satellite.

Satellite COSPAR Date LS Launch Vehicle Remarks
LUNAR PHOTON 2022-070C 2022-06-28 RLLC Electron Photon-IP with CAPSTONE