Rocket Lab USA Inc. completed its 93rd Electron rocket launch early Thursday, deploying a synthetic aperture radar satellite for Japan’s Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space, Inc. (iQPS). The mission, designated "The Lightning God Defends," lifted off at 1:04 a.m. New Zealand Standard Time from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand.
The Electron rocket delivered the QPS-SAR satellite into a 575-kilometer low Earth orbit, marking the ninth deployment for iQPS and extending Rocket Lab’s 100% mission success rate with the Japanese operator. The launch was Rocket Lab’s 14th Electron mission in 2026, as the company continues to scale its small-lift launch cadence.
Rocket Lab’s Electron remains the primary vehicle for the company’s commercial, government, and defense missions. The company is also developing its Neutron medium-lift rocket, which is expected to complement the Electron’s role in the small-satellite launch market. iQPS plans to complete its Earth-imaging constellation by 2030, with Rocket Lab scheduled to conduct nine additional dedicated launches to support deployment.
