Rocket Lab Schedules Third Electron Launch in 24 Days to Deploy Next Mission for iQPS
Rocket Lab Corporation (NASDAQ:RKLB) ("Rocket Lab" or "the Company"), a global leader in launch services and space systems, today announced the launch window for its next mission for multi-launch customer, Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space, Inc. (iQPS), a Japan-based Earth imaging company.
The mission, named ‘The Mountain God Guards,' will launch from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand during a launch window that opens on June 10, 2025 UTC. The mission will launch a single synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging satellite called QPS-SAR-11 (nicknamed YAMATSUMI-I for the Japanese god of mountains) to a 575km circular Earth orbit, from where the satellite will join the rest of the iQPS constellation in providing high resolution images and Earth monitoring services globally.
The mission is the latest in an accelerated cadence of launches of Electron, the world's most-frequently launched orbital small rocket. ‘The Mountain God Guards' will be the Company's third Electron launch in just 24 days - and the fourth dedicated launch for iQPS to build out their satellite constellation - that demonstrates repeatable, reliable, and dedicated access to space for small satellite constellation operators.
Overall, Rocket Lab has deployed three Electron missions for iQPS with 100% mission success: ‘The Lightning God Reigns' and ‘The Sea God Sees' were successfully deployed to space by Electron earlier this year as the first two missions of an eight-launch contract across 2025 and 2026 for iQPS; while an additional third launch, ‘The Moon God Awakens,' was successfully launched in December 2023.
"The Mountain God Guards" will be Rocket Lab's eighth mission of 2025, its 66th Electron launch overall, and will bring the total number of satellites delivered to space by Electron to 227.
"The Mountain God Guards" mission information: https://www.rocketlabusa.com/missions/next-mission
"The Mountain God Guards" launch window opens:
- 15:45 UTC, June 10th
- 11:45 am Eastern, June 10th
- 8:45 am Pacific, June 10th
- 3:45 am NZT, June 11th
About Rocket Lab
Founded in 2006, Rocket Lab is an end-to-end space company with an established track record of mission success. We deliver reliable launch services, satellite manufacture, spacecraft components, and on-orbit management solutions that make it faster, easier, and more affordable to access space. Headquartered in Long Beach, California, Rocket Lab designs and manufactures the Electron small orbital launch vehicle, a family of spacecraft platforms, and the Company is developing the large Neutron launch vehicle for constellation deployment. Since its first orbital launch in January 2018, Rocket Lab's Electron launch vehicle has become the second most frequently launched U.S. rocket annually and has delivered over 200 satellites to orbit for private and public sector organizations, enabling operations in national security, scientific research, space debris mitigation, Earth observation, climate monitoring, and communications. Rocket Lab's spacecraft platforms have been selected to support NASA missions to the Moon and Mars, as well as the first private commercial mission to Venus. Rocket Lab has three launch pads at two launch sites, including two launch pads at a private orbital launch site located in New Zealand and a third launch pad in Virginia.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We intend such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"). All statements contained in this press release other than statements of historical fact, including, without limitation, statements regarding our launch and space systems operations, launch schedule and window, safe and repeatable access to space, Neutron development, operational expansion and business strategy are forward-looking statements. The words "believe," "may," "will," "estimate," "potential," "continue," "anticipate," "intend," "expect," "strategy," "future," "could," "would," "project," "plan," "target," and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, though not all forward-looking statements use these words or expressions. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including but not limited to the factors, risks and uncertainties included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, as such factors may be updated from time to time in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), accessible on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov and the Investor Relations section of our website at www.rocketlabusa.com, which could cause our actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements made in this press release. Any such forward-looking statements represent management's estimates as of the date of this press release. While we may elect to update such forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we disclaim any obligation to do so, even if subsequent events cause our views to change.
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Rocket Lab Media Contact
Murielle Baker
[email protected]