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Rocket Lab’s Launch of Commercial Radar-Imaging Satellite
Rocket Lab is set to launch a commercial radar-imaging satellite on Tuesday morning, offering a live broadcast of the event. An Electron rocket carrying one of Synspective’s Strix-3 satellites from Japan will take off from Rocket Lab’s New Zealand launch site within an hour-long window starting at 10:13 a.m. EDT (1413 GMT; 3:13 a.m. local time in New Zealand on March 13).
If you wish to witness the launch, you can tune in to the live coverage here on Space.com, courtesy of Rocket Lab. Alternatively, you can view the event directly from the company’s website. The broadcast is expected to begin 30 minutes before liftoff.
Details of the Mission
Referred to as “Owl Night Long” by Rocket Lab, this mission highlights Synspective’s Strix family of synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) satellites. These spacecraft have the capability to capture highly detailed images of the Earth’s surface at the millimeter level, disregarding any weather conditions, day or night.
This upcoming launch will mark Rocket Lab’s fourth mission for Synspective, following previous missions in December 2020, February 2022, and September 2022. The Strix-3 satellite is destined for a sun-synchronous orbit (SSO) about 348.6 miles (561 kilometers) above Earth.
Satellites in SSOs offer consistent lighting conditions, making it easier to detect changes on Earth’s surface. This orbital path is commonly chosen for weather and reconnaissance satellites due to its advantageous viewing angles.
Assuming a successful launch, Strix-3 will be deployed into its designated orbit approximately 54 minutes into the mission. Unlike previous missions, there are no plans for the recovery of the Electron rocket’s first stage on this particular launch.
Stay tuned for more updates on this significant event in space technology and exploration.
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