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Rocket Lab Launches 8th iQPS Satellite

August 7, 2026

1 min read

Key Takeaways

Rocket Lab launched the QPS-SAR-13 satellite on August 6.
The satellite is part of iQPS' synthetic aperture radar imaging constellation.
This was the 13th Electron launch so far this year.
Rocket Lab has 10 more iQPS launches under contract.

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Strategic Implications

This launch may indicate Rocket Lab's continued reliability in deploying small satellites, which could strengthen its position in the growing smallsat market. The company's ability to recover from a previous launch abort suggests a robust launch operations capability, which may attract more customers to its services.

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What Happened

Electron Rocket Successfully Deploys Japanese Radar Imaging Satellite

Rocket Lab successfully launched the QPS-SAR-13 satellite, a Japanese radar-imaging satellite, on August 6. The Electron rocket lifted off from Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand and deployed the satellite into a planned circular orbit. This launch was the first for Rocket Lab since June 26 and marked the eighth Electron launch of an iQPS satellite, with 10 more under contract. The company’s next Electron launch, again for iQPS, is planned for late August. This launch was reported by SpaceNews.

Source | Originally Published: August 6, 2024

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