Rocket Lab Launches Kushinada-I Satellite to Orbit for Japan’s iQPS
In early August 2025, Rocket Lab successfully launched QPS-SAR-12 (nicknamed Kushinada-I), a synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) satellite built by Japan’s iQPS (Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space). This mission, called “The Harvest Goddess Thrives” in honor of a Japanese goddess of harvest and prosperity, was Rocket Lab’s fifth dedicated launch for iQPS. The 59-foot (18-meter) Electron rocket lifted the satellite into a 575-km circular orbit. QPS-SAR-12 will join an expanding constellation of SAR Earth-imaging satellites, enabling all-weather, day-and-night observation. The launch exemplifies Rocket Lab’s niche role in deploying small dedicated satellites and advances iQPS’s goal of a 36-satellite global SAR network.
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The “Harvest Goddess Thrives” Mission
According to Rocket Lab’s press release, the Electron rocket lifts off on Aug. 5, 2025, from Mahia, New Zealand. The mission, nicknamed “Harvest Goddess Thrives,” carried the QPS-SAR-12 radar satellite (Kushinada-I) for iQPS. The 18-meter vehicle powered away at 12:10 a.m. EDT (4:10 p.m. NZT).The Electron injected Kushinada-I into a planned 575-km sun-synchronous orbit about 54 minutes after liftoff.
Kushinada-I honors a Shinto harvest goddess and is formally designated QPS-SAR-12. This was Rocket Lab’s fifth mission for iQPS and the 69th Electron flight overall. Rocket Lab is also developing a larger Neutron rocket and operates a suborbital test vehicle (HASTE) for hypersonic research.
iQPS SAR Constellation and Applications
By mid-2025, ten QPS-SAR satellites were in orbit, and Kushinada-I became the 12th launched. iQPS plans a total of 36 small SAR spacecraft. Each satellite carries high-resolution SAR capable of imaging through clouds or at night. The full constellation is designed to revisit any target region roughly every 10 minutes, providing near-real-time monitoring.
The SAR network will image both fixed terrain and moving objects (vehicles, ships or livestock). Rocket Lab notes this continuous data stream “has the potential to revolutionize industries and reshape the future,” unlocking economic insights and predictive analytics for agriculture, urban security and other markets.
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