Rocket Lab Successfully Launches Third Mission for iQPS in Multi-Launch Contract, Sets Schedule For the Next iQPS Mission

By: Rocket Lab USA, Inc. via Business Wire

May 17, 2025 at 05:43 AM EDT

Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) (“Rocket Lab” or “the Company”), a global leader in launch services and space systems, today successfully launched its third mission for Japanese customer, Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space, Inc. (iQPS).

‘The Sea God Sees’ mission successfully launched on Electron from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand at 8:17 p.m. NZT on May 17th, 2025. The mission carried iQPS’ QPS-SAR-10, a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) Earth-imaging satellite, to a 575km low Earth orbit, where it was deployed as part of iQPS’ growing constellation. The mission was launched just weeks’ after Rocket Lab’s previous launch for iQPS was deployed on March 15, 2025 – demonstrating frequent, reliable, and dedicated small orbital launch for satellite operators with 100% mission success in 2025.

Today’s mission was the third overall launch for iQPS and the second in a multi-launch contract to launch eight missions for the company in 2025 and 2026. Four more launches are scheduled for launch this year, with the remaining two scheduled for 2026. Rocket Lab’s next mission for iQPS is scheduled to launch in less than a month’s time, from no earlier than June 2025.

Rocket Lab founder and CEO, Sir Peter Beck, says: “Another fantastic launch by the Electron team to flawlessly deliver another iQPS mission to orbit. Constellation deployment requires a reliable rocket with pinpoint orbital deployment accuracy that allows for the seamless integration of the latest spacecraft to the constellation – and that’s exactly the service Electron continues to provide as the global leading launcher for small satellite missions. With another mission lined up with iQPS in just a few short weeks, we’re looking forward to supporting their constellation with multiple missions this year and next.”

iQPS CEO, Dr. Shunsuke Onishi, says: “We are truly delighted to have successfully launched our 10th satellite, “WADATSUMI-I,” into orbit just two months after the launch of our QPS-SAR-9 “SUSANOO-I.” This achievement is a remarkable milestone to the outstanding technical capabilities of our development team, and we are deeply grateful to Rocket Lab team for enabling such a precise and agile launch. With more Electron launches ahead, we’re more committed than ever to accelerating the buildout of our satellite constellation, and we look forward to continuing this powerful partnership.”

Launch images: https://www.flickr.com/photos/rocketlab/albums/72177720326183963

Launch webcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ikgtJOeDW4

About Rocket Lab

Founded in 2006, Rocket Lab is an end-to-end space company with an established track record of mission success. We deliver reliable launch services, satellite manufacture, spacecraft components, and on-orbit management solutions that make it faster, easier, and more affordable to access space. Headquartered in Long Beach, California, Rocket Lab designs and manufactures the Electron small orbital launch vehicle, a family of flight-proven spacecraft, and the Company is developing the large Neutron launch vehicle for constellation deployment. Since its first orbital launch in January 2018, Rocket Lab’s Electron launch vehicle has become the second most frequently launched U.S. rocket annually and has delivered more than 200 satellites to orbit for private and public sector organizations, enabling operations in national security, scientific research, space debris mitigation, Earth observation, climate monitoring, and communications. Rocket Lab’s Photon spacecraft platform has been selected to support NASA missions to the Moon and Mars, as well as the first private commercial mission to Venus. Rocket Lab has three launch pads at two launch sites, including two launch pads at a private orbital launch site located in New Zealand and a third launch pad in Virginia. To learn more, visit www.rocketlabusa.com.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We intend such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward looking statements contained in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). All statements contained in this press release other than statements of historical fact, including, without limitation, statements regarding our launch and space systems operations, launch schedule and window, safe and repeatable access to space, Neutron development, operational expansion and business strategy are forward-looking statements. The words “believe,” “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “potential,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “expect,” “strategy,” “future,” “could,” “would,” “project,” “plan,” “target,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, though not all forward-looking statements use these words or expressions. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including but not limited to the factors, risks and uncertainties included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, as such factors may be updated from time to time in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), accessible on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov and the Investor Relations section of our website at www.rocketlabusa.com, which could cause our actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements made in this press release. Any such forward-looking statements represent management’s estimates as of the date of this press release. While we may elect to update such forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we disclaim any obligation to do so, even if subsequent events cause our views to change.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250517892653/en/

Contacts

Rocket Lab Media Contact

Murielle Baker

media@rocketlabusa.com

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Rocket Lab Successfully Launches Third Mission for iQPS in Multi-Launch Contract, Sets Schedule For the Next iQPS Mission

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