The mission, evocatively named The Harvest Goddess Thrives, is slated to lift-off from Rocket Lab’s Launch Complex 1 on New Zealand’s Mahia Peninsula from 5 August 2025 (UTC).
This will mark Rocket Lab’s 11th launch of the year and the fifth time it has delivered a satellite to orbit for the Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space (iQPS), as the Japanese firm continues to expand its synthetic aperture radar (SAR) constellation designed for high-resolution Earth monitoring.
The payload, QPS-SAR-12, also known as Kushinada-I in reference to the Japanese goddess of harvest and prosperity, will be deployed into a 575-kilometre circular orbit where it will contribute to iQPS’ growing network of satellites.
The constellation provides radar imaging services that are critical for environmental monitoring, disaster response, infrastructure surveillance and defence-related applications across the globe.
Previous missions for iQPS aboard Electron include The Moon God Awakens in late 2023 and The Lightning God Reigns, The Sea God Sees, and The Mountain God Guards, all launched earlier in 2025.
At least three more iQPS-dedicated missions are planned with Rocket Lab through the rest of the year and into 2026, reinforcing the strength of this international commercial space partnership.
For Rocket Lab, 2025 has already become a record-setting year, with 100 per cent mission success achieved on all Electron flights to date. The company’s ability to offer reliable, frequent and responsive launch services is increasingly making it the go-to option for small satellite deployments across the commercial, civil and defence sectors.
The consistent cadence also positions Rocket Lab as a key player in the Indo-Pacific space economy, one closely watched by Australia as it develops its own sovereign space launch and satellite capabilities.
With Australia’s increasing focus on space domain awareness, remote sensing and commercial launch opportunities, companies like Rocket Lab demonstrate the value of regional access to space without reliance on traditional heavy-lift launch providers.
Looking ahead, Rocket Lab is also preparing for the inaugural flight of its medium-lift, partially reusable Neutron rocket, a platform that could further shift the strategic landscape for satellite deployment across the Pacific region.