29 October 2026
Rocket Lab's 'The Sea God Surveys' Moves Up to 2 November
The Change
Rocket Lab's next Electron mission, "The Sea God Surveys" (iQPS Launch 9), now has a proper target. Until now it was pencilled in for Tuesday 3 November with no time. It's moved a day earlier, to Monday 2 November 2026, in a launch window from 08:45 to 18:15 UTC.
The date is still listed as to be confirmed, so it could slip again.
The Mission
- Rocket: Electron, Rocket Lab's small launcher.
- Launch site: Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 on New Zealand's Mahia Peninsula.
- Payload: a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite for iQPS, a Japanese Earth-imaging company.
- Orbit: low Earth orbit.
SAR satellites bounce radar off the ground, so they can take pictures through cloud and in the dark. That's handy for watching the same spot day after day.
Times Around the World
The window opens at 08:45 UTC on 2 November, which is:
- 21:45 the same day in New Zealand
- 17:45 in Tokyo
- 03:45 in New York
The Closing Line
A rocket that leaves early? In the launch business that's rarer than a satellite that answers its email. Enjoy it while it lasts.
Source: Launch Library 2. Follow the live countdown.