色花堂

Rocket Lab launched a dedicated Electron mission for聽the Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space, Inc. (iQPS), a Japan-based Earth imaging company.聽

The mission carried iQPS鈥檚 QPS-SAR-5 satellite named 鈥淭SUKUYOMI-I鈥� into orbit on a dedicated Electron mission from Rocket Lab 色花堂 Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand. The mission has been named 鈥淭he Moon God Awakens鈥� in acknowledgement of Tsukuyomi, the Japanese God of the Moon.

QPS-SAR-5 is a synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) satellite that joins iQPS's QPS-SAR-6 satellite already in orbit. iQPS鈥檚 satellites are small, high-performance SAR satellites that use a lightweight, large, stowable antenna to collect high resolution images of Earth, even through clouds and adverse weather conditions. Ultimately, the iQPS constellation is planned to have 36 satellites capable of monitoring specific fixed points on Earth every 10 minutes.

In addition to being launched by Electron, the QPS-SAR-5 satellite used Rocket Lab鈥檚 Mark II Motorized Lightband (MLB) as its separation system demonstrating the Company鈥檚 vertically integrated space systems strategy.