Launch Window for 51st Electron Mission Set
Will Deploy Latest Satellites in Multi-Launch Contract for Synspective
Update: Rocket Lab stood down from this launch today due to weather conditions. A new launch date will be announced soon.
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The launch window for its 51st Electron launch, a mission that will place in orbit the latest satellite in a constellation being built by Synspective, has been announced by Rocket Lab.
"Synspective’s long-standing trust in the team to build out their constellation is recognition of Electron’s continued dominance as the ultimate small launch vehicle for the industry."
Peter Beck, Rocket Lab.
The “Owl for One, One for Owl” mission is scheduled to launch from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand during a 14-day launch window that opens on July 31st NZST / July 30th UTC. In addition to deploying a single StriX satellite to low Earth orbit for this mission, Rocket Lab will perform an advanced mid-mission maneuver with Electron’s Kick Stage to shield the satellite from the sun and reduce radiation exposure.
The mission will be the fifth launch of a total of 16 launches on Electron for Synspective, a Japanese Earth observation company deploying 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 has been the sole launch provider for Synspective’s constellation to date, and this latest mission continues a lasting and trusted partnership to deploy their StriX constellation to low Earth orbit. Most recently that partnership was further cemented by a new multi-launch contract of ten dedicated Electron launches for Synspective announced in June 2024, with the launches in that new deal set to take place across 2025-2027.
"Synspective’s long-standing trust in the team to build out their constellation is recognition of Electron’s continued dominance as the ultimate small launch vehicle for the industry," said Rocket Lab founder and CEO, Sir Peter Beck. "Schedule flexibility, a reliable rocket launching more and more frequently, and our unique in-space capabilities that support mission needs are all critical functions at play in the multi-launch contracts being signed by our domestic and international launch customers. It’s an honor to continue launching for Synspective through our ongoing partnership.”
“Owl for One, One for Owl” will be Rocket Lab’s 51st Electron mission and ninth launch this year. As well as an additional launch for Synspective scheduled to take place before the end of this year, other launches for multi-launch contract customers include space-based intelligence company BlackSky and French Internet-of-Things (IoT) company Kinéis.