Rocket Lab Launches 97th Electron Mission, Deploys StriX Radar Satellite
Rocket Lab has completed its 97th Electron mission, launching a radar-imaging satellite for Japanese Earth-observation company Synspective from New Zealand’s Māhia Peninsula.
The mission, named ‘Owlright Owlright Owlright’, lifted off from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 at 12:39 p.m. NZST on 26 September 2026, according to the company. The flight deployed Synspective’s 13th StriX satellite into low Earth orbit.
StriX satellites carry synthetic aperture radar (SAR) instruments that capture high-resolution images of the Earth’s surface in all weather conditions, day and night. The launch continues a multi-year partnership between the two companies, under which Electron has now deployed every one of Synspective’s 13 StriX satellites.
The mission was also Rocket Lab’s 18th launch of 2026. The company describes Electron as the world’s most frequently launched small-lift orbital rocket.
Independent coverage from Tech Times and The Space Tap confirmed the launch window opened shortly after midnight UTC on 26 September, with the StriX satellite heading for a low Earth orbit deployment. Synspective’s growing constellation supports applications including disaster response, infrastructure monitoring, and maritime surveillance.
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