Synspective Signs Deal for 10 Electron Launches with Rocket Lab

2024, June 18th

Synspective Inc. has signed its largest launch agreement to date. The ten-launch deal is with Rocket Lab, a global leader in launch services and space systems. Synspective founder and CEO Dr. Motoyuki Arai, Rocket Lab founder and CEO Sir Peter Beck, and New Zealand’s Prime Minister, the Right Honorable Christopher Luxon attended the announcement event at the Tokyo Imperial Hotel. Luxon is on his first visit to Japan as Prime Minister, leading a business delegation to meet investors and strengthen bilateral ties.

Rocket Lab has been the sole launch provider for Synspective’s StriX constellation, successfully deploying four StriX satellites across four dedicated Electron launches since 2020. In addition to the 10 new dedicated launches signed today, another two launches for Synspective have already been booked and are scheduled for launch this year from Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand. The launches in the new deal will take place across 2025 and 2027.

By launching as the dedicated payload on Electron, Synspective controls the launch schedule and the precise deployment parameters for each satellite. This enables the company to build a satellite constellation on its terms and maximize coverage for its partners and customers.

■ Comments from Dr. Motoyuki Arai, Synspective founder and CEO

“We are pleased to have reached an agreement with Rocket Lab to launch 10 new satellites. This agreement gives us a solid foundation and confidence, as Rocket Lab is an innovative launch provider. We look to accelerate building our satellite constellation and expand our services in the future. We appreciate Rocket Lab’s significant role in moving our business forward. We will continue to build an analytics platform that enables visualization and analysis of global environmental and economic activities, starting with constructing a SAR satellite constellation. These efforts will help make human activities sustainable for our generation and address the challenges of a changing global environment and depleting resources.” 

■ Comments from Rocket Lab founder and CEO Sir Peter Beck

“We are honored that the Synspective team has once again entrusted Rocket Lab with the deployment of their constellation and we’re proud to be their launch partner for another ten missions, our largest launch agreement to date. Japan’s space industry is one of the fastest growing globally and we’re excited to be enabling this growth through the unique collaboration of a U.S. rocket and a New Zealand launch site, delivering an unprecedented level of tailored access to orbit for Japanese small satellites.” 

■ Comments from Prime Minister of New Zealand Rt Hon Christopher Luxon

“New Zealand innovation in space technology is rapidly putting our country on the map in this fast-growing industry. I am very pleased to witness the signing of this significant agreement during my first visit to Japan as Prime Minister – it is a clear demonstration of the many opportunities to grow trade and prosperity between our two nations. Collaboration with international partners is critical to enabling our space industry to maximise its potential on the global stage.”