Expanding Earth Observation Constellation
Rocket Lab Successfully Launches Synspective's Thirteenth Japanese Radar Satellite into Orbit
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Rocket Lab successfully launched Synspective’s 13th StriX Earth-observation satellite aboard an Electron rocket from New Zealand, expanding the Japanese company’s planned radar-imaging constellation. The spacecraft uses synthetic aperture radar to produce detailed images through clouds and in poor lighting, with potential applications including city planning, infrastructure management and disaster response. Rocket Lab said the flight was its 97th Electron launch and its 18th mission of the year.
Key Points
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The satellite was deployed into a 37-degree-inclination orbit at an altitude of 559 kilometres (347 miles).
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The 100-kilogram spacecraft’s radar can image areas at resolutions of up to 3 metres across a 30-kilometre swath, or 1 metre across a 10-kilometre swath.
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Rocket Lab said Electron has now launched all 13 StriX satellites delivered to date; 14 more launches are planned to deploy the rest of the constellation by the end of the decade.
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The StriX spacecraft weigh about 100 kilograms each and unfold to roughly 5 metres wide when their synthetic aperture radar antenna is deployed.
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