Rocket Lab Sets Launch Date for 51st Electron Mission, Prepares to Deploy Latest Satellites in Multi-Launch Contract for Synspective
July 24 2024 - 4:20PM
Business Wire
This latest mission for Synspective will be the
fifth launch of a total of 16 launches on Electron for the Japanese
Earth observation company.
Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) (“Rocket Lab” or “the
Company”), a global leader in launch services and space systems,
today announced the launch window for its 51st Electron launch, a
mission that will launch the latest satellite in a constellation
being built by its long-standing customer Synspective.
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
millimetre-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.
Rocket Lab founder and CEO, Sir Peter Beck, says: “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. 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.
+ About Synspective’s constellation:
Synspective's small SAR satellites, StriX, are equipped with a
synthetic aperture radar (SAR) sensor, which can observe the
Earth's surface in any weather condition day or night. Not affected
by clouds or rain, SAR is suitable for persistent monitoring of
disasters and detailed changes to secure critical infrastructure
and other facilities. Example use cases include:
- detecting anomalies in road, rail, energy and other
infrastructure, resulting in lower maintenance costs and accident
risk,
- monitoring crop growth conditions and analyzing soil and
vegetation health to help reduce costs and increase efficiency for
farmers,
- detecting illegal logging and fishing in the most remote parts
of the world,
- providing rapid damage assessment after flooding, landslides
and volcanic eruptions, as well as risk assessment for land
subsidence,
- enabling the persistent monitoring of maritime traffic, border
activities and other potential security threats, and advances
maritime domain awareness,
- analyzing tree cover to calculate CO2 absorption and carbon
credits.
+ About Rocket Lab
Founded in 2006, Rocket Lab is an end-to-end space company with
an established track record of mission success. We deliver reliable
launch services, satellite manufacture, spacecraft components, and
on-orbit management solutions that make it faster, easier, and more
affordable to access space. Headquartered in Long Beach,
California, Rocket Lab designs and manufactures the Electron small
orbital launch vehicle, a family of flight proven spacecraft, and
the Company is developing the large Neutron launch vehicle for
constellation deployment. Since its first orbital launch in January
2018, Rocket Lab’s Electron launch vehicle has become the second
most frequently launched U.S. rocket annually and has delivered 190
satellites to orbit for private and public sector organizations,
enabling operations in national security, scientific research,
space debris mitigation, Earth observation, climate monitoring, and
communications. Rocket Lab’s family of spacecraft have been
selected to support NASA missions to the Moon and Mars, as well as
the first private commercial mission to Venus. Rocket Lab has three
launch pads at two launch sites, including two launch pads at a
private orbital launch site located in New Zealand and a third
launch pad in Virginia. To learn more, visit
www.rocketlabusa.com.
+ Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within
the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995. We intend such forward-looking statements to be covered by
the safe harbor provisions for forward looking statements contained
in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
“Securities Act”) and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). All statements contained in
this press release other than statements of historical fact,
including, without limitation, statements regarding our launch and
space systems operations, launch schedule and window, safe and
repeatable access to space, Neutron development, operational
expansion and business strategy are forward-looking statements. The
words “believe,” “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “potential,”
“continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “expect,” “strategy,” “future,”
“could,” “would,” “project,” “plan,” “target,” and similar
expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements,
though not all forward-looking statements use these words or
expressions. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees,
but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other
important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or
achievements to be materially different from any future results,
performance or achievements expressed or implied by the
forward-looking statements, including but not limited to the
factors, risks and uncertainties included in our Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, as such
factors may be updated from time to time in our other filings with
the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), accessible on
the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov and the Investor Relations section
of our website at www.rocketlabusa.com, which could cause our
actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the
forward-looking statements made in this press release. Any such
forward-looking statements represent management’s estimates as of
the date of this press release. While we may elect to update such
forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we disclaim
any obligation to do so, even if subsequent events cause our views
to change.
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+ Rocket Lab Media Contact Murielle Baker
media@rocketlabusa.com
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