Rocket Lab’s announcement:
Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB), a global leader in launch services and space systems, today successfully launched its Electron rocket, deploying five satellites to Low Earth Orbit for French Internet-of-Things (IoT) constellation operator Kinéis. The mission was the fifth in a five launch deal with Kinéis that has seen Rocket Lab deploy a complete constellation of 25 IoT satellites in less than a year. Photos by Satnews.
The “High Five” mission lifted-off from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand at 14:31 NZDT on March 18th, 2025 (01:31 UTC), successfully deploying five satellites to a 650 km low Earth orbit. The mission was Rocket Lab’s fourth Electron launch of 2025, and 62nd Electron launch overall.
Rocket Lab founder and CEO Sir Peter Beck said: “That’s five missions out of five for Kinéis delivered flawlessly by Electron. Many constellation operators wait years for their first mission, but we’ve deployed Kinéis’ mission in under a year and with 100% dedicated launches where they have been able to select launch site, date, and orbital parameters allowing them to maximize coverage for each of their 25 spacecraft. We’re proud to have enabled a more connected world through Kinéis’ IoT spacecraft and look forward to seeing all the valuable data and insights the constellation provides in the coming months and years.”
“Since 2018, we have led an ambitious project, and this launch, the final one in a series of five, crowns an exceptional effort carried out with solid partners like Rocket Lab, enabling the deployment of our IoT-dedicated constellation in less than a year. On June 1st, we will launch our IoT satellite connectivity commercial services. This achievement marks the beginning of a new era for Kinéis, where the data collected by our constellation will unlock numerous opportunities for our clients and partners,” said Christophe Vassal – Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Kinéis.
The Kinéis constellation is designed to make it possible to connect and locate any connected object anywhere in the world, enabling data transmission to users in near-real time, at low bit rates and with very low energy consumption. By enabling internet connection to the Earth’s most remote locations, Kinéis constellation can support forest fire detection, water resource management, infrastructure and energy network monitoring, transport and logistics tracking, and much more.