Rocket Lab successfully launched its ninth mission for Japanese Earth-observation constellation operator iQPS today, deploying the QPS-SAR-18 "SUSANOO-II" satellite from Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand aboard an Electron rocket.
Lightning God Defends mission delivered on schedule
The mission, dubbed "The Lightning God Defends" in reference to the Japanese god Susanoo associated with lightning, lifted off during a window opening at 13:00 UTC on August 20, 2026. Following a 40-minute coast phase, Electron's kick stage completed a final circularization burn and successfully deployed the synthetic aperture radar satellite to a 575 km mid-inclined circular orbit approximately 50 minutes after liftoff. Today's flight was Rocket Lab's 14th launch of 2026 and 93rd Electron mission overall.
QPS-SAR-18 expands iQPS constellation to sub-metre imaging
Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space, Inc. (iQPS), headquartered in Fukuoka, Japan, is building a 36-satellite constellation of small SAR spacecraft capable of imaging Earth day or night and through cloud cover. QPS-SAR-18 continues iQPS's dedicated launch cadence with Rocket Lab under a multi-launch contract that has secured multiple dedicated Electron missions for the Tokyo-listed startup.
Rocket Lab tightens grip on dedicated small-sat launch market
Nasdaq-listed Rocket Lab (RKLB) continues to widen its lead as the most-flown provider of dedicated small satellite launch. The company's manifest for the remainder of 2026 includes further iQPS missions plus a mix of commercial and national security payloads. In parallel, Rocket Lab is progressing toward the debut of its medium-lift Neutron rocket, which is designed to compete for larger constellation deployment and national security contracts.
Related coverage: Rocket Lab's earlier QPS-SAR-13 mission and multi-launch iQPS constellation contract. See also Rocket Lab's Space Force GEO win and SpaceX's 100-launch pace in 2026.
Reporting based on coverage from iQPS, Rocket Lab, and Space.com.