Rocket Lab completes second dedicated mission for Japan’s space agency
April 23, 2026 8:07 AM
IH Market News
Rocket Lab Corporation (NASDAQ:RKLB) carried out its second dedicated launch for the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency on April 23, successfully placing eight spacecraft into orbit from its launch site in New Zealand.
The mission, named “Kakushin Rising,” lifted off at 3:09 p.m. local time from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1. It transported a range of satellites as part of JAXA’s Innovative Satellite Technology Demonstration Program, including educational CubeSats, an ocean observation satellite, a platform testing ultra-compact multispectral imaging, and a deployable antenna based on origami-inspired folding that can expand up to 25 times its initial size.
This launch follows the company’s first dedicated JAXA mission in December 2025, which deployed the RAISE-4 spacecraft to showcase technologies developed by Japanese firms, universities, and research organizations.
“Two successful missions in a matter of months, deployed precisely where they needed to be on orbit, shows exactly why Electron is the preferred small launcher for national space agencies,” said Rocket Lab founder and CEO Peter Beck.
The latest mission marks Rocket Lab’s eighth launch of 2026 and its 87th overall. The company has further launches planned throughout the year, spanning commercial Earth observation, technology demonstration missions, and national security deployments.
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Original: Rocket Lab completes second dedicated mission for Japan’s space agency
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