Rocket Lab launches Japanese StriX satellite into orbit

Rocket Lab’s Electron launch vehicle placed another Japanese StriX Earth-observation satellite into orbit on Saturday, September 26, expanding the orbital constellation operated by Japanese company Synspective.

The satellite was launched as part of the “Owlright, Owlright, Owlright” mission from Launch Complex 1A at the Mahia Peninsula in New Zealand. The two-stage Electron rocket, carrying a Curie Kick Stage, lifted off at 12:39 p.m. local time, the company said on X.

Approximately one hour after launch, the 100-kilogram StriX satellite was deployed into its designated orbit at an altitude of 572 kilometres.

Equipped with synthetic aperture radar, the spacecraft is designed to produce high-resolution images of the Earth’s surface. Its SAR system can provide resolutions of up to 3 metres across a 30-kilometre swath and up to 1 metre across a 10-kilometre swath.

The newly launched satellite is the 13th StriX spacecraft in Synspective’s orbital constellation, which is ultimately planned to comprise 27 satellites.

By Tamilla Hasanova