Rocket Lab launches fifth StriX satellite for Synspective

Written by Copernical Team Saturday, 03 August 2024 21:58

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Sydney, Australia (SPX) Aug 03, 2024

Rocket Lab has launched its 51st Electron rocket, deploying a single satellite into low Earth orbit for Synspective, a Japanese Earth-imaging company. The mission, named "Owl For One, One For Owl" in reference to Synspective's StriX satellites, which are named after the genus of owls, lifted off at 04:39 a.m., August 3rd NZT (16:39 UTC, August 2nd) from Launch Complex 1, Rocket Lab's priva

Rocket Lab launches fifth StriX satellite for Synspective
by Simon Mansfield
Sydney, Australia (SPX) Aug 03, 2024

Rocket Lab has launched its 51st Electron rocket, deploying a single satellite into low Earth orbit for Synspective, a Japanese Earth-imaging company.

The mission, named "Owl For One, One For Owl" in reference to Synspective's StriX satellites, which are named after the genus of owls, lifted off at 04:39 a.m., August 3rd NZT (16:39 UTC, August 2nd) from Launch Complex 1, Rocket Lab's private orbital launch site on New Zealand's Mahia Peninsula. This launch deployed the fifth StriX SAR-imaging satellite for Synspective into low Earth orbit. In addition to the launch service, Rocket Lab provided a custom Electron fairing to encapsulate the StriX satellite and performed an advanced mid-mission maneuver with Electron's Kick Stage to shield the satellite from the sun and reduce radiation exposure on its way to orbit.

Rocket Lab has been the sole launch provider for Synspective's constellation to date. This mission marked the fifth of 16 launches booked on Electron for Synspective and the second launch for the Japanese company this year, following the "Owl Night Long" mission in March 2024. Recently, Synspective booked ten dedicated Electron launches as part of a new multi-launch agreement announced in June 2024, with launches in that deal set to take place from 2025 to 2027.

Rocket Lab founder and CEO Sir Peter Beck stated: "It's wonderful to have launched our second mission for Synspective in five months as we continue our longstanding launch partnership. Electron is the ideal rocket for providing flexible, tailored, and direct access to orbit for constellation builders like Synspective, and I'm proud of the team for delivering this latest mission success."

The launch window for Rocket Lab's next Electron mission will be announced in the coming days.