株式会社QPS研究所
iQPS (Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space) is a Japanese space startup and satellite manufacturer, founded in 2005 as a spin-off from Kyushu University. They specialize in developing and operating small, high-resolution synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites for Earth observation. iQPS aims to establish a constellation of 36 satellites to enable near-real-time monitoring of any location on Earth, with applications in disaster management and global-scale insights.
All verified mentions of this organization in source documents.
Rocket Lab targeted no earlier than 2023-12-15 UTC for the iQPS GEO launch with a two-hour daily window.
Rocket Lab will launch the TSUKUYOMI-I synthetic-aperture radar satellite for Japan-based Earth imaging company the Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space, Inc. (iQPS).
Rocket Lab set a return-to-launch window for its Electron launch vehicle that opens on 2023-11-28 and extends into 2023-12-01 for a dedicated mission for Japan-based Earth imaging company iQPS (Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space).
Japanese radar imaging company iQPS switched its launch plans to Rocket Lab earlier in 2023 after Virgin Orbit’s failure.
The iQPS satellite QPS-SAR-5 will launch on Rocket Lab's Electron instead of Virgin Orbit’s LauncherOne due to delays and the bankruptcy of Virgin Orbit.
QPS-SAR-5 is a synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) satellite that will join an existing iQPS constellation.
iQPS was originally manifested on another launch vehicle but selected Rocket Lab to launch QPS-SAR-5 on a dedicated Electron mission to expedite deployment.
Rocket Lab signed a contract with Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space (iQPS) for a dedicated launch of the QPS-SAR-5 satellite on an Electron rocket.
On 2023-08-17, Rocket Lab signed a deal to launch an Earth observation satellite on Electron for the Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space, Inc. (iQPS).
iQPS originally manifested QPS-SAR-5 on another launch vehicle before selecting Rocket Lab’s Electron.
The iQPS contract announced 2023-08-17 is the ninth Electron launch Rocket Lab has won in the month of August.
iQPS lost the QPS-SAR-3 and QPS-SAR-4 satellites when a Japanese Epsilon rocket failed to reach orbit during an October 2022 launch.
iQPS plans a 36-satellite constellation capable of producing SAR imagery at resolutions sharper than 0.5 m.
Rocket Lab USA, Inc. will launch iQPS’s QPS-SAR-5 satellite on an Electron rocket.
iQPS originally had QPS-SAR-5 manifested on another launch vehicle but selected Rocket Lab to launch QPS-SAR-5 on a dedicated Electron mission to expedite deployment.
QPS-SAR-5 will join the iQPS constellation after QPS-SAR-6, which is already in orbit.
iQPS originally contracted to launch QPS-SAR-5 on Virgin Orbit’s LauncherOne under a contract announced in May 2022.
iQPS was founded in 2005 by two Emeritus Professors of Kyushu University and a rocket developer to establish the space industry in the Kyushu region of Japan.
Virgin Orbit expects to launch QPS-SAR-5 on LauncherOne into a tailored, mid-inclination orbit to expand iQPS’s constellation coverage and revisit rate.
iQPS acquired 0.7 m resolution images with QPS-SAR-2, and subsequent satellites including QPS-SAR-5 are expected to achieve even higher resolution.