Rocket Lab Electron Launches Viva La StriX Mission, Deploying 9th Synspective SAR Satellite
Summary: Rocket Lab's Electron rocket lifted off on May 22, 2026, carrying the 9th StriX synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite for Japanese operator Synspective. The mission, named "Viva La StriX," departed from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 on New Zealand's Mahia Peninsula and targeted a sun-synchronous orbit at approximately 572 km altitude.
Mission Profile
Viva La StriX represents the latest chapter in Rocket Lab's ongoing partnership with Tokyo-based Synspective, a company operating a constellation of small SAR satellites for all-weather Earth observation.
- Launch Time: May 22, 2026 at 01:30 UTC (09:30 Beijing time)
- Launch Site: Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
- Vehicle: Electron (two-stage liquid-fueled rocket)
- Payload: StriX Series SAR satellite (~100 kg class)
- Target Orbit: Sun-synchronous orbit (SSO), approx. 572 km altitude
StriX satellites are designed and operated by Synspective to provide high-resolution Earth observation through cloud and rain, supporting disaster monitoring, maritime domain awareness, and infrastructure inspection.
Commercial Context
Rocket Lab completed 21 consecutive successful launches in 2025 with a 100% success rate. The company's Q1 2026 revenue reached $200.3 million, up 63.5% year-over-year, with a record GAAP gross margin of 38.2% and an order backlog of $2.2 billion. Synspective signed a 10-launch contract with Rocket Lab in June 2024, and this was the 9th mission under that arrangement, with the final launch scheduled before 2027.