Rocket Lab Successfully Deploys Satellite for Synspective, Caps Off Year with 60% Increase in Launches YoY
Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) (“Rocket Lab” or “the Company”), a global leader in launch services and space systems, announced it successfully completed the Company’s 16th launch for the year, deploying a satellite for Japanese Earth-observation constellation operator Synspective.
The “Owl The Way Up” mission lifted off from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand on 22 December at 03:17 NZT deploying a single StriX satellite to orbit from the Electron launch vehicle. The mission was the sixth in a total of 16 launches booked on Electron for Synspective, an Earth observation company operating a constellation of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites designed to deliver imagery that can detect millimetre-level changes to the Earth’s surface from space. Rocket Lab first launched for Synspective in December 2020 and has been the sole launch provider for Synspective’s constellation to date.
Rocket Lab founder and CEO, Sir Peter Beck, says: “Mission success once again for Synspective, capping off our busiest launch year to date. We look forward to continuing to increase our launch cadence in the new year as we strengthen Electron’s position as the leading small rocket globally, and also enter the medium launch market with Neutron’s debut. In 2024 we launched missions for NASA, the NRO, deployed multiple missions for commercial constellation operators like Synspective, launched suborbital HASTE missions advancing hypersonic flight test capability, and to top it all off, we achieved a world first by launching two missions from two different hemispheres in less than 24 hours. Thank you and congratulations to the Rocket Lab team, our customers, and our mission partners for another stellar year.”
Rocket Lab launched 16 missions in 2024, besting the Company’s previous annual launch record of 10 missions, achieved in 2023 and representing a launch cadence increase of 60% year-on-year. Rocket Lab maintained a record of 100% mission success for all launches in 2024. The “Owl The Way” up launch was Rocket Lab’s final scheduled launch for 2024 with the next Electron launch scheduled in Q1 2025.
Synspective's small SAR satellites, StriX, are equipped with a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) sensor, which can observe the Earth's surface in any weather condition day or night. Not affected by clouds or rainSAR is suitable for persistent monitoring of disasters and detailed changes to secure critical infrastructure and other facilities. Example use cases include:
detecting anomalies in road, rail, energy and other infrastructure, resulting in lower maintenance costs and accident risk,
monitoring crop growth conditions and analyzing soil and vegetation health to help reduce costs and increase efficiency for farmers,
detecting illegal logging and fishing in the most remote parts of the world,
providing rapid damage assessment after flooding, landslides and volcanic eruptions, as well as risk assessment for land subsidence,
enabling the persistent monitoring of maritime traffic, border activities and other potential security threats, and advances maritime domain awareness,
analyzing tree cover to calculate CO2 absorption and carbon credits.