Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) provider of launch services and space systems, today launched its 45th Electron rocket, successfully deploying a fourth synthetic aperture radar satellite to Synspective’s Earth-observation constellation.
“Owl Night Long,” a dedicated mission for Synspective, launched from Pad B at Rocket Lab’s Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand at 04:03 NZDT March 13, 2024 (15:03 UTC, March 12). The mission delivered a single spacecraft, the StriX-3 satellite, to a 561km Sun Synchronous Orbit, where it joined Synspective’s growing constellation.
Rocket Lab has been the sole launch provider for Synspective’s constellation, previously delivering three satellites across launches in September 2022, February 2022, and December 2020. Rocket Lab will launch two more missions for Synspective as part of a multi-launch agreement signed in 2023.
“Owl Night Long” was Rocket Lab’s third Electron mission of 2024. Rocket Lab’s next launch is scheduled to liftoff no earlier than March 20th from Launch Complex 2 in Wallops, Virginia for the National Reconnaissance Office.
Rocket Lab’s Owl Night Long Tuesday launch update
Launch Complex 1, Sept 2022
Rocket Lab is ramping up for their third launch this year and the 45th Electron launch overall. The ‘Owl Night Long’ mission is scheduled to launch from Pad B at Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand, and will carry a single satellite for Synspective.
Synspective Satellite Rocket Lab Clearnroom, Launch Complex 1, Mahia, NZ
Electron will carry the Strix-3 satellite to a Sun Synchronous Orbit where it will join a constellation of the other StriX-series satellite from Synspective, a Japanese Earth-imaging company.
The StriX-series satellites are a Synthetic Aperture Radar, or SAR, spacecraft that can image millimeter-level changes to the Earth’s surface from space, independent of weather conditions at any time day or night. The constellation to return to any spot on the globe every 12 hours.
SAR is an active system that transmits microwave pulses towards the Earth’s surface and receives reflective signals back to create an image of the target area.
The StriX-series satellites are wide-bodied and take advantage of Electron’s expanded fairing options, specifically customized to meet the demands of the customer. In order to maintain the integrity of the satellite by reducing radiation exposure before deployment,
The Kick Stage will perform an advanced mid-mission maneuver to shield the satellite. One of the many reasons Electron is one of the best rockets to meet specific mission needs.
The mission will be Rocket Lab’s third launch of 2024 and the 45th Electron launch overall.
Rocket Lab will not be attempting to recover Electron’s first stage during this mission.
Target Launch Time:
- NZDT | 03:13 am (March 13)
- UTC | 02:13 pm (March 12)
- EDT | 10:13 am (March 12)
- PDT | 07:13 am (March 12)
There are back up opportunities through March should the need to stand down for any reason happen.
A live webcast will be available approximately 20 minutes prior lift-off on launch day YouTube