Rocket Lab Secures Three Additional iQPS Launch Contracts Rocket Lab has secured a new contract with the Japanese radar satellite company iQPS for three additional Electron launches, marking the continuation of their long-term partnership. The agreement, announced on April 9, details launches from Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand, set to begin in 2028. While the financial terms of the contract were not disclosed, the deal underscores Rocket Lab’s role as iQPS’s primary launch provider. This latest contract follows a series of successful missions between the two companies. Since 2023, Rocket Lab has already executed seven launches for iQPS, with five additional missions previously ordered. Three of these upcoming launches were confirmed in October, and the most recent Electron mission for iQPS took place in December. The next scheduled iQPS satellite launch on Electron is planned for May, as announced jointly by both companies. Brian Rogers, vice president of global launch services at Rocket Lab, highlighted the significance of the expanded partnership. “Our expanded partnership with iQPS is built on our consistent execution across the many missions we’ve launched for them already, and we’re proud to continue delivering their Earth imaging constellation to space as we deepen our role as their primary launch provider,” he stated in a statement. iQPS is focused on expanding its constellation of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging satellites, aiming to deploy 24 satellites by 2028 and 36 by 2030. These satellites are designed to provide high-resolution radar imaging with frequent revisit times, enabling continuous monitoring of Earth’s surface. To date, Rocket Lab has been the primary vehicle for launching these satellites, though a few have been deployed via SpaceX rideshare missions.#electron_rocket #rocket_lab #iqps #launch_complex_1 #brian_rogers
