Rocket Lab completes eighth Electron launch of 2025 deploying fifth iQPS satellite

Written by Copernical Team Thursday, 12 June 2025 06:18

font size decrease font size increase font size
Print
Email

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jun 12, 2025

Rocket Lab has successfully executed its 66th Electron mission, deploying the QPS-SAR-11 satellite for the Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space (iQPS). The launch marks Rocket Lab's second mission for iQPS in just 25 days and its fourth overall, all completed with full mission success. Lifting off from Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand at 15:31 UTC on June 11, the mission-titled "The

Rocket Lab completes eighth Electron launch of 2025 deploying fifth iQPS satellite
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jun 12, 2025

Rocket Lab has successfully executed its 66th Electron mission, deploying the QPS-SAR-11 satellite for the Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space (iQPS). The launch marks Rocket Lab's second mission for iQPS in just 25 days and its fourth overall, all completed with full mission success.

Lifting off from Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand at 15:31 UTC on June 11, the mission-titled "The Mountain God Guards"-placed the SAR satellite into a 575km circular orbit. The spacecraft, also named YAMATSUMI-I after a Japanese mountain deity, is part of iQPS's growing synthetic aperture radar constellation, providing high-resolution Earth imaging services globally.

With this deployment, Rocket Lab has now placed half of iQPS's satellite network in orbit. Previous missions included "The Moon God Awakens" in December 2023, followed by "The Lightning God Reigns," "The Sea God Sees," and now "The Mountain God Guards" in 2025. Four additional iQPS launches are scheduled through the remainder of this year and into 2026.

"The Electron team has delivered another flawless launch and satellite deployment for iQPS, for the second time in 25 days - an outstanding display of the reliability and agility that makes Electron the leader in dedicated small launch," said Rocket Lab CEO Sir Peter Beck. "We're looking forward to delivering on this again and again for the line-up of Electron launches this year and next in our multi-launch contract with iQPS."

iQPS CEO Dr. Shunsuke Onishi added, "Following the successful launch of our 10th satellite, we are deeply grateful to Rocket Lab team for the smooth deployment of QPS-SAR-11 YAMATSUMI-I into orbit. This achievement is entirely thanks to the Rocket Lab team's ability to deliver precise and agile launches. We are truly pleased to see our satellites being placed into orbit one after another, marking significant progress toward building our satellite constellation."

The mission represents Rocket Lab's eighth launch of 2025. Another Electron mission is scheduled to lift off from Mahia within the next few days.