The Lightning God Defends
| Scheduled for (UTC) | 2026-08-20 13:04:45 |
|---|---|
| Scheduled for (NZST) | 2026-08-21 01:04:45 |
| Launch site | Rocket Lab LC-1A or -1B, Māhia Peninsula, New Zealand |
| Booster recovery | No |
| Launch vehicle | Electron + Curie |
| Customer | iQPS |
| Payload | QPS-SAR-18 (SUSANOO-II) |
| Mass | 100 kg |
| Target orbit | LEO |
| Stream | Link |
|---|---|
| Rocket Lab (official) | www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLc1C15jbgY |
| Space Affairs | www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVuP19ajLuU |
| The Launch Pad | None |
Stats
- 14th launch for Rocket Lab in 2026
- 93rd overall launch for Rocket Lab
Payload info:
QPS-SAR-18 (SUSANOO-II)
iQPS’s satellites are small, high-performance SAR satellites that use a lightweight, large, stowable antenna to collect high resolution images of Earth, even through clouds and adverse weather conditions. Ultimately, the iQPS constellation is planned to have 36 satellites capable of monitoring specific fixed points on Earth every 10 minutes. In addition to launching on Electron, the QPS-SAR satellite will use a Rocket Lab Motorized Lightband as its separation system for deployment to space.
Previous mission: The Grain Goddess Provides
Next mission: Owl Around The World