Rocket Lab launches Japanese radar satellite to orbit on 'Owl Around the World' mission (video)

Rocket Lab successfully launched a private Japanese radar satellite to orbit early Wednesday morning (Sept. 2).

An Electron vehicle lifted off from Rocket Lab's New Zealand site on Wednesday at 8:01 a.m. EDT (1201 GMT; 12:01 a.m. local New Zealand time on Sept. 3). It carried a single Strix satellite for Synspective, a Tokyo-based Earth-imaging company.

Synspective is assembling a constellation of about 30 Strix satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO). These spacecraft — which are named after a widespread genus of owl — use synthetic aperture radar (SAR) to study our planet both day and night, and in all weather conditions.

a black and white rocket lifts off above a plume of fire and smoke — A Rocket Lab electron rocket launches the 'Owl Around the World' mission from New Zealand on Sept. 2, 2026. (Image credit: Rocket Lab)

The Strix constellation will "make it possible to quickly monitor and confirm on-the-ground changes during disasters such as earthquakes and floods at night, as well as in areas that are difficult to access," Synspective's website reads.

"In addition to disaster response, we will leverage our SAR satellite capabilities to promote efficient resource utilization," it adds. "For example, we can use our satellite data to monitor natural resources and urban development, ensuring sustainable and optimal use of land and water."

Eleven Strix satellites have now reached orbit to date, all of them atop Electron vehicles. Rocket Lab is currently the sole launch provider for Synspective and has 16 more missions for the company on its manifest after Wednesday's mission.

All went according to plan on Wednesday, according to Rocket Lab: The Electron's upper "kick stage" deployed the Strix satellite 56 minutes after liftoff, at an altitude of 357 miles (575 kilometers).

The 59-foot-tall (18 meters) Electron is designed to give small satellites dedicated rides to Earth orbit and beyond. Wednesday's mission, which Rocket Lab calls "Owl Around the World," was the rocket's 12th of 2026 and 85th overall.

Rocket Lab has also launched nine missions to date with HASTE, a suborbital version of Electron that allows customers to test sensors and instruments in a hypersonic flight environment. While Electron debuted in 2017, HASTE lifted off for the first time in June 2023.

Editor's note: This story was updated at 11:40 a.m. ET on Sept. 2 with news of successful satellite deployment.

Michael Wall is the Spaceflight and Tech Editor for Space.com and joined the team in 2010. He primarily covers human and robotic spaceflight, military space, and exoplanets, but has been known to dabble in the space art beat. His book about the search for alien life, "Out There," was published on Nov. 13, 2018. Before becoming a science writer, Michael worked as a herpetologist and wildlife biologist. He has a Ph.D. in evolutionary biology from the University of Sydney, Australia, a bachelor's degree from the University of Arizona, and a graduate certificate in science writing from the University of California, Santa Cruz. To find out what his latest project is, you can follow Michael on Twitter.