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Rocket LabElectronRocket Lab Launch Complex 1B, Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
The Lightning God Defends (iQPS Launch 8)
Launched
August 20, 2026 · 13:04 UTC
Summary
Rocket Lab’s Electron successfully delivered a synthetic aperture radar satellite for Japanese Earth-imaging company iQPS, adding a new eye to the growing constellation for persistent ground monitoring.
- Watch
- Vehicle
- Electron · Rocket Lab
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Earth Science · Low Earth Orbit (LEO)for iQPS
- Milestone
- 93rd Electron flight · 14th this yearRocket Lab's 93rd launch14th this yearhumanity's 7,371st orbital launch attempt198th orbital launch attempt this year
Webcast
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
QPS-SAR-18 · NORAD 100401 · 2026-191A · Space-Track
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- QPS-SAR-18
- Object ID
- 2026-191A
- Epoch
- 2026-09-19 04:29:46 UTC
- Mean motion
- 14.97299073 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.00071341
- Inclination
- 42.007°
- Ascending node
- 297.2423°
- Arg. of perigee
- 103.6893°
- Mean anomaly
- 256.4727°
- Element set
- 999
- Rev at epoch
- 444
- B*
- 0.00017942136
Perigee, apogee and period are Kepler figures from the catalogued mean elements, not a propagated state. Published orbit: LEO.
Flight timeline
- T−2MStartup
- T−2SIgnition
- T−0Liftoff
- T+58SSupersonic
- T+1M9SMax-Q
- T+2M26SMECO
- T+2M29SStage 2 Separation
- T+2M33SSES
- T+3M36SFairing Separation
- T+6M28SBattery Hotswap
- T+9M1SSECO
- T+9M5SKick Stage Separation
- T+46M33SKick Stage Ignition
- T+49M27SKick Stage Cut-off
- T+50M18SPayload Separation
About this launch
The Lightning God Defends (iQPS Launch 8) launched on a Rocket Lab Electron from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B, Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand on August 20, 2026 at 13:04 UTC. It was Rocket Lab's 93rd launch, 14th this year and humanity's 7,371st orbital launch attempt. It was the 93rd Electron flight and the 14th this year. The payload was bound for low Earth orbit (LEO). It reached a 576 × 589 km orbit inclined 42.0°.
Synthetic aperture radar Earth observation satellite for Japanese Earth imaging company iQPS.
News
Pad
Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B, Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
38th launch from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B, 4th this year · 80th from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
Local pad time at liftoff: Aug 21, 1:04 AM GMT+12, at night
41 launches from this pad · 84 from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
54 days after the previous launch from this pad
All launches from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New ZealandOpen in maps
Updates
Launch success with satellite in contact.
Show 7 earlier updates
Spacecraft separation.
Cosmic_Penguin · 8/20/2026 · source
Liftoff.
Cosmic_Penguin · 8/20/2026 · source
Official Webcast by Rocket Lab has started
LL2 · 8/20/2026 · source
Updated launch time (https://rocketlabcorp.com/launch/launch-safety/), launch pad (https://x.com/RocketLab/status/2090337999557136427) and launch weather.
Cosmic_Penguin · 8/20/2026 · source
GO for launch on August 20.
Cosmic_Penguin · 8/19/2026 · source
NET late August.
Cosmic_Penguin · 8/6/2026 · source
Added launch.
Cosmic_Penguin · 2/27/2025 · source
Questions
When did The Lightning God Defends (iQPS Launch 8) launch?
The Lightning God Defends (iQPS Launch 8) launched on August 20, 2026 at 13:04 UTC.
Where can I watch The Lightning God Defends (iQPS Launch 8)?
Coverage: Rocket Lab - 'The Lightning God Defends' Launch. Watch the replay
What rocket launched The Lightning God Defends (iQPS Launch 8)?
Electron, flown by Rocket Lab. Electron spec sheet
Where did The Lightning God Defends (iQPS Launch 8) launch from?
Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B, Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand. Liftoff was Aug 21, 1:04 AM GMT+12 local time at the pad.
What orbit did The Lightning God Defends (iQPS Launch 8) reach?
It reached a 576 × 589 km orbit inclined 42.0°.