The mission successfully deployed a
satellite for Japan-based Earth imaging company Institute for Q-shu
Pioneers of Space, Inc
Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) (“Rocket Lab” or “the
Company”), a global leader in launch services and space systems,
today successfully launched its 42nd Electron rocket and deployed a
satellite for Japan-based Earth imaging company the Institute for
Q-shu Pioneers of Space, Inc. (iQPS). The mission was Rocket Lab’s
10th Electron launch for the year, surpassing the Company’s
previous annual record of nine launches in 2022. For the fifth year
in a row, Electron has retained the title of second most frequently
launched U.S. rocket annually.
This press release features multimedia. View
the full release here:
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Rocket Lab's 42nd Electron rocket
lifts-off from Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand, deploying an Earth
observation satellite for iQPS (Photo: Business Wire)
The mission, named “The Moon God Awakens”, launched from Pad B
at Rocket Lab’s Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand at 17:05 NZDT /
04:05 UTC on December 15th. Named after the Japanese God of the
Moon, the iQPS-SAR-5 satellite “TSUKUYOMI-I” is a
synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) satellite that will collect
high-resolution images of Earth. The satellite joins another iQPS
satellite already in orbit and forms part of what will eventually
be a 36-satellite constellation capable of monitoring Earth at
specific fixed points every 10 minutes.
The mission went from contract signing to successful launch in
just eight months, once again demonstrating Rocket Lab’s ability to
provide tailored, dedicated launches on rapid timelines.
“Congratulations to our team for hitting a new annual launch
record of ten missions, further cementing Electron’s position as
the leading small launch vehicle globally. Once again, for the
fifth year running, Electron is the second most frequently launched
U.S. rocket annually and we look forward to building on that record
with an even busier year of launches in 2024,” said Rocket Lab
founder and CEO Peter Beck. “It has been a privilege to provide the
team at iQPS with a dedicated ride to orbit on an accelerated
timeline and we’re honored to play a key role in building out their
SAR constellation with Electron.”
Images and video from the launch of ‘The Moon God Awakens’
available for download here: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjAV8hR
Details of Rocket Lab’s next Electron mission will be announced
in the coming days.
+ 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, the Photon satellite platform, 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 172
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 Photon spacecraft platform has 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.
+ About iQPS
iQPS is a space start-up founded in 2005 by two Emeritus
Professors of Kyushu University and a rocket developer to establish
the space industry in the Kyushu region in Japan. Based on more
than 20 years of technology in the development of small satellites
at Kyushu University, now iQPS brings together young engineers and
industrialists with a team of pioneering professors emeritus. In
addition, iQPS's business is strongly supported by more than 25
partner companies, mostly in northern Kyushu. The goal of iQPS
small SAR satellite QPS-SAR project is to deliver a near real-time
data provision service. Today, three QPS-SARs have been launched
and are in operation: QPS-SAR- 1 "IZANAGI", 2 "IZANAMI" and 6
“AMATERU-Ⅲ”. In July 2023, iQPS released Spotlight images of
QPS-SAR-6 with azimuth resolution of 46cm and range resolution of
39 cm, which is the highest resolution ever achieved by a Japanese
commercial SAR satellite. Unfortunately, QPS-SAR-3 and 4 have not
been deployed into orbit due to rocket failure. For further
information please check: www.i-qps.net
+ 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, 2022, 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 Morgan Bailey
media@rocketlabusa.com
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