Rocket Lab to boost Synspective's satellite constellation with more launches

Rocket Lab to boost Synspective's satellite constellation with more launches
by Staff Writers
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jul 14, 2023

The US-based small satellite launch service provider, Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB), has recently signed a deal with Japan's Synspective, an Earth imaging company, for two dedicated Electron launch missions. With this development, Synspective's contracted missions with Rocket Lab have now been extended to a total of six, reflecting the strong and evolving collaboration between the two enterprises.

Since 2020, Rocket Lab has been a key player in the initial deployment of Synspective's synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite constellation. The satellite constellation is specifically designed to provide millimetre-level change detection of Earth's surface from space, a capability of high importance to various sectors like environment monitoring, disaster response, and infrastructure management.

To date, Rocket Lab has been the exclusive launch provider for Synspective's StriX constellation, successfully deploying three StriX satellites via three individual Electron launches. This collaboration continues to grow, with two new missions slated, bringing the total to three launches planned for Synspective beginning late 2023, all of which will be executed from Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand.

Rocket Lab's founder and Chief Executive, Peter Beck, expressed his appreciation for the ongoing collaboration. He stated, "It's an honor to be entrusted with the continued deployment of Synspective's constellation. We're proud to enable them to build out their constellation with precision and efficiency, providing Synspective with schedule and orbit flexibility thanks to our frequent dedicated launch opportunities. We're delighted to continue delivering this unique ability to Synspective through our continued partnership."

Rocket Lab's involvement in these projects is not limited to launching the satellites. The company also employs its advanced technology in the Electron rocket's Kick Stage to carry out mid-mission maneuvers. This capability is essential for shielding the StriX satellite from the sun to minimize radiation exposure prior to payload deployment, which is crucial for maintaining the satellite's operational longevity and data quality.

Synspective's founder and CEO, Dr. Motoyuki Arai, remarked on the successful partnership with Rocket Lab. He stated, "As we celebrate our three-year partnership with Rocket Lab, which began with our first StriX-a satellite in 2020, we are thrilled to entrust them with two more contracts for our StriX satellite launches. Their unwavering reliability and precision have been pivotal to our successful deployments. We're looking forward to the upcoming launches and the new insights to enhance our satellite data and solution service in line with our customer needs."

Synspective's partnership with Rocket Lab underscores a trend seen among commercial constellation operators, with firms such as HawkEye 360 and Capella Space also signing multi-launch agreements on Electron this year. These collaborations reflect a growing industry reliance on dedicated, small satellite launch services to meet the precise needs of satellite constellation deployments.