Rocket Lab launches Japanese radar satellite after five‑week delay
The short version
Rocket Lab successfully placed a Japanese radar‑imaging satellite into orbit on 6 August 2026. The launch, delayed by five weeks, marks the eighth iQPS satellite deployed by the company.
The launch took place on 6 August 2026.2 Lift‑off occurred at 5:18 a.m. EDT (0918 GMT; 9:18 p.m. local New Zealand time).2 Rocket Lab used its Electron launch vehicle for the mission.2
The launch site was Rocket Lab's launch facility in New Zealand.2 The payload was a Japanese Earth‑observing radar satellite.2 The satellite will be operated by iQPS, a company headquartered in Tokyo.2
The mission was postponed for five weeks beyond its original schedule.2 A prior launch attempt for the same satellite was aborted more than a month earlier.1 This launch represents the eighth iQPS satellite that Rocket Lab has placed into orbit.1
Why it matters
Rocket Lab is a private aerospace firm that provides launch services with its Electron rocket, a small‑satellite launch vehicle operating from a site in New Zealand.2
iQPS develops radar‑imaging satellites that collect Earth‑observation data for applications such as mapping and monitoring.2
Radar‑imaging satellites use synthetic‑aperture radar to capture images of the Earth's surface regardless of weather or daylight conditions.2
This account was written from the 2 reports listed below, filed by 2 independent outlets, and checked against them line by line. It is not a copy of any one of them. Spotted an error? Tell us.
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