Liftoff! Rocket Lab launches Electron for Japan’s iQPS, deploying its latest Earth-imaging satellite

Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket has launched on the “The Sea God Surveys” mission, carrying one QPS-SAR satellite for Japan-based iQPS. Launched from Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand on November 3, 2026, the satellite is designed to operate in a 357-mile low Earth orbit at a 42-degree inclination. The mission marks Rocket Lab’s 10th Electron launch for iQPS, supporting the rapid deployment of its commercial synthetic aperture radar (SAR) constellation. The network is designed to provide high-resolution, near-real-time Earth imagery to global users, with radar technology enabling observations through clouds and in darkness. Video credit: Rocket Lab