Rocket Lab USA, a leading company in launch services and space systems, has recently announced a partnership with Japanese Earth imaging company Synspective. Under this deal, Rocket Lab will launch two dedicated Electron missions for Synspective, bringing the total number of contracted launches to six.
Rocket Lab has been working with Synspective since 2020, when they deployed the first satellite in Synspective’s synthetic aperture radar (SAR) constellation. This constellation is designed to provide imagery that can detect minute changes to the Earth’s surface from space. Rocket Lab has been the sole launch provider for Synspective’s StriX constellation, successfully deploying three StriX satellites across three dedicated Electron launches. With the addition of the two new missions, Rocket Lab is now scheduled to launch three missions for Synspective starting in late 2023 from Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand.
Peter Beck, the founder and CEO of Rocket Lab, expressed his honor and pride in being entrusted with the deployment of Synspective’s constellation. He highlighted the precision and efficiency that Rocket Lab offers, giving Synspective flexibility in terms of schedule and orbit. Beck emphasized the continued partnership between the two companies and their commitment to delivering unique capabilities to Synspective.
Apart from providing schedule and orbit flexibility, Rocket Lab also offers an advanced mid-mission maneuver with the Electron rocket’s Kick Stage. This maneuver helps shield the StriX satellite from the sun, reducing radiation exposure before payload deployment.
Dr. Motoyuki Arai, the founder and CEO of Synspective, expressed his excitement about the partnership with Rocket Lab. He praised Rocket Lab’s reliability and precision, which have been crucial to the successful deployments of Synspective’s satellites. Arai looks forward to the upcoming launches and the new insights they will bring to enhance their satellite data and solution service according to customer needs.
Synspective joins other commercial constellation operators, such as HawkEye 360 and Capella Space, in signing multi-launch agreements with Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket this year.
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