Rocket Lab sets May launch for latest iQPS satellite mission

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Rocket Lab sets May launch for latest iQPS satellite mission

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Rocket Lab sets May launch for latest iQPS satellite mission
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) May 06, 2025

Rocket Lab USA, Inc. has announced a mid-May launch window for its upcoming mission supporting multi-launch client Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space, Inc. (iQPS).

The mission, titled "The Sea God Sees," is set to lift off from Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand starting May 17, 2025. It will carry a single synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite, QPS-SAR-10, also known as "WADATSUMI-I," into a 575-kilometer circular Earth orbit. Once in orbit, the satellite will join the growing iQPS constellation, which delivers high-resolution imaging and Earth observation services around the globe.

This will be the third Rocket Lab Electron mission for iQPS and the second in a series of eight planned launches through 2026 aimed at deploying the company's satellite network. The inaugural flight under this multi-launch agreement, "The Lightning God Reigns," successfully reached orbit on March 15, 2025.

"The Sea God Sees" will also mark Rocket Lab's sixth mission of the year and its 64th Electron launch overall. Upon completion, the company will have deployed a total of 225 satellites to orbit.

Next Launch: The Sea God Sees

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