Rocket Lab’s mission, The Sea God Sees, successfully lifted off on May 17, 2025, at 08:17 UTC from Launch Complex 1A (LC-1A) on New Zealand’s Māhia Peninsula. The flight marked the 64th mission for the Electron rocket and its sixth launch of 2025.
Lift-off of Electron for "The Sea God Sees" pic.twitter.com/ZeM2LSZTTd
— Rocket Lab (@RocketLab) May 17, 2025
Around two and a half minutes into the flight, the first stage separated cleanly from the second stage. Shortly after, the payload fairing was jettisoned, exposing the satellite to space as the vehicle continued its ascent.
At T+47:10, the Kick Stage’s Curie engine ignited to circularize the orbit ahead of payload deployment. As planned, the satellite was released into a 575 km circular low Earth orbit.
The mission’s payload, QPS-SAR-10 “WADATSUMI-I,” is the latest addition to iQPS’s growing radar satellite constellation. The spacecraft is equipped with a synthetic aperture radar, capable of capturing high-resolution Earth imagery regardless of weather or lighting conditions.
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A Japanese SAR for continuous Earth observation
The Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space, Inc. (iQPS) is a Japanese aerospace startup founded in 2005 by two emeritus professors from Kyushu University and a rocket developer. Headquartered in Fukuoka, iQPS aims to establish a space industry in Japan’s Kyushu region, leveraging over two decades of small satellite development expertise.
Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) is a remote sensing technology that uses radar signals to create high-resolution images of the Earth’s surface. Unlike optical sensors, SAR can penetrate clouds and operate effectively at night, making it invaluable for disaster monitoring, infrastructure assessment, and maritime surveillance.
iQPS has developed the QPS-SAR series, a constellation of small, high-resolution SAR satellites equipped with lightweight, deployable antennas. The company plans to expand this constellation to 36 satellites by 2027, enabling near-real-time observation of specific regions worldwide at average intervals of 10 minutes.
QPS-SAR-10 “WADATSUMI-I,” successfully deployed during The Sea God Sees mission, now becomes the tenth operational satellite in the iQPS constellation. Each new satellite strengthens iQPS’s vision of delivering near-real-time, high-resolution radar imaging for various applications, from disaster response to urban planning.
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Electron, a small launcher for Rocket Lab’s big ambitions
Rocket Lab’s latest mission marked the third time the company has launched a satellite for Japan’s Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space (iQPS). This ongoing collaboration underscores Electron’s role as a trusted launch vehicle for small satellite operators seeking dedicated access to orbit.
Since its inaugural flight in 2017, Electron has completed 64 missions, deploying over 220 satellites into orbit. With a robust manifest ahead, Rocket Lab continues demonstrating its ability to provide reliable and responsive launch services for commercial and government customers.
Beyond launch services, Rocket Lab has expanded into spacecraft manufacturing with its family of configurable platforms, including Photon and Pioneer. Pioneer has supported all three of Varda Space Industries’ missions, including the recently concluded third flight of its Winnebago re-entry capsule.
These diversified offerings (launch services, spacecraft platforms, and satellite components) are integral to Rocket Lab’s strategic growth, fueling the development of its next-generation Neutron rocket. Designed for larger payloads and reusability, Neutron aims to complement Electron by serving the medium-lift market, further solidifying Rocket Lab’s position in the evolving space industry.
Cover image credits: Rocket Lab via YouTube
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