Rocket Lab Electron Launches 'The Nation God' Satellite For iQPS

Rocket Lab successfully launched its 74th Electron mission, "The Nation God Navigates," on Wednesday, deploying the iQPS QPS-SAR-14 satellite, nicknamed YACHIHOKO-I, into a 575 kilometer circular orbit from Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand. The rocket lifted off at 1951 UTC, with Electron's kick stage deploying the satellite about 50 minutes after liftoff, marking Rocket Lab’s sixth dedicated mission for iQPS and solidifying its role as the primary launch provider for the Japanese company’s growing Earth-imaging constellation.

The QPS-SAR-14 satellite, nicknamed YACHIHOKO-I after the Japanese god of nation-building and navigation, is the 13th satellite from iQPS to reach orbit, despite its designation as the 14th in the series.

iQPS aims to build a constellation of 36 synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites to provide near-real-time Earth imagery, with the goal of capturing images of Earth’s surface every 10 minutes.

"This satellite will join the rest of the QPS-SAR constellation in providing high-resolution synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images and Earth monitoring services globally," Rocket Lab wrote in a mission description. "iQPS aims to build a constellation of 36 SAR satellites that will provide near-real-time images of Earth every 10 minutes."

Wednesday's launch was part of a multi-launch agreement between Rocket Lab and iQPS, with six additional dedicated missions planned to further expand the constellation.

"The Nation God Navigates" mission was the 16th Electron launch of 2025, matching the company’s record high for annual launches set in 2024. The Electron rocket, a two-stage launch vehicle powered by liquid oxygen and rocket-grade kerosene, has become the second most frequently launched U.S. rocket annually since its first orbital flight in January 2018.

Rocket Lab’s success with this mission reinforces its position as a leading provider of launch services for small satellite constellations, with plans to debut its larger Neutron rocket in the near future. The company also operates a suborbital version of the vehicle known as HASTE ("Hypersonic Accelerator Suborbital Test Electron"), which has flown five times since debuting in June 2023.