Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) has announced a launch window for an upcoming Electron mission to deploy the latest satellite in Synspective’s growing Earth Observation (EO) constellation.
The “Owl The Way Up” mission is scheduled to launch from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand during a launch window that opens on December 18th NZDT (December 17 UTC). The mission will deploy a single StriX satellite to orbit for Synspective.
This mission will be the sixth in a total of 16 launches booked on Electron for Synspective, a Japanese EO company operating a constellation of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites designed to deliver imagery that can detect millimeter-level changes to the Earth’s surface from space. Rocket Lab first launched for Synspective in December of 2020 and has been the sole launch provider for Synspective’s constellation to date.
Synspective’s small SAR satellites, StriX, are equipped with a SAR sensor, which can observe the Earth’s surface in any weather condition day or night. Not affected by clouds or rain, SAR is suitable for persistent monitoring of disasters and detailed changes to secure critical infrastructure and other facilities.
Example use cases include the following…
- detecting anomalies in road, rail, energy and other infrastructure, resulting in lower maintenance costs and accident risk
- monitoring crop growth conditions and analyzing soil and vegetation health to help reduce costs and increase efficiency for farmers
- detecting illegal logging and fishing in the most remote parts of the world
- providing rapid damage assessment after flooding, landslides and volcanic eruptions, as well as risk assessment for land subsidence
- enabling the persistent monitoring of maritime traffic, border activities and other potential security threats, and advances maritime domain awareness
- analyzing tree cover to calculate CO2 absorption and carbon credits
Rocket Lab founder and CEO, Sir Peter Beck, said, “As the sole launch provider for Synspective to date, we’ve developed an enduring relationship with their team built on trust and reliability across multiple Electron missions. By flying as the dedicated customer, rather than ridesharing, we’ve put Synspective in control of their launch schedule and mission parameters, affording them a level of control over their mission not traditionally afforded to small satellite operators. We’re looking forward to placing another StriX satellite in orbit and supporting Synspective’s vision to enable persistent monitoring of our planet to support disaster relief, agricultural development, maritime domain awareness and much more.”
Rocket Lab has launched 14 missions to date in 2024, besting the Company’s previous annual launch record of 10 missions achieved in 2023.