The New Zealand/US launch provider Rocket Lab successfully launched an Electron KS vehicle from Onenui Station, Mahia Peninsula, North Island, New Zealand, at 2037 GMT on 28 February. The vehicle was the first launch of their second launch pad on the Mahia Peninsula. The vehicle was carrying the Strix-B (StriX-β) radar satellite which is the second demonstrator for the Japanese Synspective company and the second of this series carried by an Electron KS. The satellite carries an X-Band radar to conduct Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imaging. The satellite had originally been set to launch on a Soyuz-2 rocket via an Exolaunch booking, but scheduling difficulties resulted in a change of launch.
Phil Hylands contributed to this story.