Counting down to our next mission, a dedicated launch from LC-1 for Japanese SAR company Synspective! Learn more: bit.ly/3l1Ujz9
This mission has an instantaneous launch opportunity each day of the 14-day launch window.Lift-off is currently targeted NET 12 December.🚀UTC | 10:09:30 🚀NZDT | 23:09:30🚀PT | 02:09:30🚀ET | 05:09:30
The mission is named ‘The Owl’s Night Begins’ in a nod to Synspective’s StriX family of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) spacecraft developed to be able to image millimeter-level changes to the Earth’s surface from space. Strix is also the genus of owls.
MISSION OVERVIEWRocket Lab's 17th mission is a dedicated launch for Japanese Earth-imaging company Synspective.The mission is named ‘The Owl’s Night Begins’ in a nod to Synspective’s StriX family of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) spacecraft developed to be able to image millimetre-level changes to the Earth’s surface from space, independent of weather conditions on Earth and at any time of the day or night. Strix is also the genus of owls.The StriX-α satellite onboard this mission will be the first of a series of spacecraft deployments for Synspective’s planned constellation of more than 30 SAR small satellites to collate data of metropolitan centers across Asia on a daily basis that can be used for urban development planning, construction and infrastructure monitoring, and disaster response.
NB this expendable mission, no recovery attempt. That will be early next year when they've had time to apply upgrades learnt from recovered booster.
Daily launch opportunity exists between:UTC | 09:00 - 10:59NZT | 22:00 – 23:59PT | 01:00 – 02:59ET | 04:00 – 05:59JST | 18:00 – 19:59
Payload integration is underway at Launch Complex 1 this week ahead of our next mission, The Owl’s Night Begins. This SAR satellite for Synspective will be on its way to orbit on Electron in just 9 days! Full mission info: bit.ly/2Vqp1HO
The Owl’s Night Begins launch window opens December 12th. Let's go to space again! 🚀UTC | 09:00 - 10:59🚀NZT | 22:00 – 23:59🚀PT | 01:00 – 02:59🚀ET | 04:00 – 05:59🚀JST | 18:00 – 19:59
The rocket is at the pad!
Updated Press Kit: https://www.rocketlabusa.com/assets/Uploads/Flight-17-Press-Kit2.pdfI don't see what's changed.
070139Z DEC 20HYDROPAC 3615/20(76).WESTERN SOUTH PACIFIC.DNC 06.1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, SPACE DEBRIS 0700Z TO 1130Z DAILY 12 THRU 25 DEC IN AREA BOUND BY 53-48S 172-18E, 53-48S 173-18E, 57-00S 172-18E, 57-00S 170-18E.2. CANCEL THIS MSG 251230Z DEC 20.
070151Z DEC 20HYDROPAC 3616/20(76).WESTERN SOUTH PACIFIC.NEW ZEALANDDNC 06.1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, SPACE DEBRIS 0700Z TO 1130Z DAILY 12 THRU 25 DEC IN AREAS BOUND BY: A. 39-13.20S 177-50.80E, 39-13.20S 177-54.60E, 39-17.00S 178-00.00E, 39-40.00S 177-50.50E, 39-40.00S 177-43.00E, 39-14.50S 177-48.50E. B. 43-30.00S 175-30.00E, 43-30.00S 177-30.00E, 47-30.00S 176-30.00E, 47-30.00S 175-00.00E.2. CANCEL THIS MSG 251230Z DEC 20.
Payload encapsulation is complete at LC-1 and the StriX-α satellite for Synspective is ready to go to space. 'The Owl's Night Begins' mission is scheduled for lift-off on December 12th UTC.
I take it those two small lumps on the fairing are the custom expansion mentioned in the press kit?
Due to weather over the range this week at LC-1 we are now targeting no earlier than Monday, 14 December UTC for #TheOwlsNightBegins mission. Target lift-off: UTC | 09:00 - 10:59NZT | 22:00 – 23:59PT | 01:00 – 02:59ET | 04:00 – 05:59JST | 18:00 – 19:59
Wet dress complete!
To avoid a solar eclipse that could affect Synspective’s mission, we're now targeting Dec 15 for launch. When customers request a new T-0, we’re happy to oblige. That's the beauty of dedicated launch on Electron, our customers get to choose (and change!) their launch time.
A solar eclipse means your solar panels are outputting basically zip. For a solar powered satellite that has just launched and is yet to fully charge its batteries, that could result in total loss of power and low chance of recovery.
QuoteTo avoid a solar eclipse that could affect Synspective’s mission, we're now targeting Dec 15 for launch.
To avoid a solar eclipse that could affect Synspective’s mission, we're now targeting Dec 15 for launch.
L-1 day until Electron lifts off for #TheOwlsNightBegins. For the first time we'll be flying a custom fairing, designed to give Synspective's Strix-α satellite a little extra room on the way to orbit. It's just another way we tailor every mission detail for our customers.
Welcome to launch day! Crews are moving into position at LC-1 in preparation for #TheOwlsNightBegins, a dedicated mission for Synspective. Let's go to space again! Target lift-off time: 🚀23:09 NZDT🚀10:09 UTC🚀05:09 EST🚀02:09 PST🚀19:09 JSThttps://www.rocketlabusa.com/missions/next-mission
Electron is vertical on the pad at LC-1 for today's mission.Webcast will be live around 20 mins before our target lift-off at 10:09 UTC
LOX loading has begun at LC-1 against the backdrop of a beautiful sunset over Mahia. T-3 hours to lift-off.
Just under four hours to lift-off for today's #TheOwlsNightBegins. Here are the details for today's dedicated launch to orbit for Synspective.
Some stunning views from Launch Complex 1 as we countdown to lift-off of #TheOwlsNightBegins in under two hours.
Payload deployment confirmed. Congratulations Synspective - MISSION SUCCESS! That's now 96 satellites placed on orbit by Electron.
Battery hot-swap. Farewell, dead battery - and we thank you.
Gonna steal this for the next launch
Perfect final orbit and satellite separation.
As seen from Invercargill at the bottom end of the South Island of New Zealand. 📸 Tania Horton
Major panic getting the camera zoomed in and turned around when we realized the Twilight effect was happening - didn't expect it so long after sunset! @RocketLab
Congratulations to the Synspective team! Proud to have delivered the dedicated ride to orbit for this mission🚀
Press Release2021, February 16thSynspective Inc Japanese Space Industry Startup Synspective released the First Image from its Small SAR Satellite “StriX-α” TOKYO-2021, February 16th – Synspective Inc., a SAR satellite data and analytic- solution provider, announced its first success on the first image acquisition from its first own SAR satellite “StriX-α”. This is the first success in Japan that a commercial SAR satellite (100kg class) image has obtained from space. “StriX-α” was launched by Rocket Lab’s Electron, from New Zealand’s Mahia Peninsula launch site, on December 15th (JST) and put into the target orbit: at an altitude of 500 km in a Sun Synchronous Orbit (SSO). It has been successfully operated since and the very first imagery was successfully acquired on February 8th. ■ SAR imagesObservation date and time:February 8th, 2021, around 12:00 (Japan time)Observation location:South Florida, USA ■ Future SAR Satellite ConstellationThe second demonstration satellite “StriX-β” is scheduled to be launched in 2021. It is aimed to demonstrate “InSAR (Interferometric SAR)” technology in orbit, a special SAR analytics technique to detect millimeter-level displacements on the ground surface. Synspective aims to build a constellation of 6 satellites by 2023 and 30 satellites by the late 2020s. With the constellation of 30 satellites in low Earth orbit , it makes it possible to observe the location of disaster occurring anywhere in the world within the time of two hours (with 6 satellites, it is within 24 hours). Synspective is currently developing an automated process that analyzes the observed data, assesses (understand) the situation of the disastered place at the early stage, and provides a solution. By establishing its constellation, Synspective aims to contribute dramatical improvements in the world’s disaster response efforts. ■ Comment from Dr. Motoyuki Arai, founder and CEO at Synspective “For a satellite data solution company, the most difficult but the most crucial milestone is the acquisition of data from an own-built satellite. Thanks to many years of hard work, including the ImPACT program, we have just obtained this great achievement. I would like to express our sincere gratitude to our team and am proud to move forward together.Now, we are proceeding with preparations for data sales. As launching the “StriX-β” within this year, we are planning to release more solution services using our own data. We will ensure to continue producing results in order to create a more efficient and resilient world.” ■ Comment from Toshihiro Obata, Board Director and General Manager of Satellite System Development Department“We are very happy that all the efforts of our development team members achieved this successful early demonstration. We continue to give further efforts to improve the quality of image and provide solutions. With partners, we are currently setting up a secure line for our satellite serial productions, by introducing manufacturing and quality control technologies from the non-space industries. We appreciate your further interest in our progress.”