{"id":33132,"date":"2023-12-15T14:44:22","date_gmt":"2023-12-15T14:44:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/uncategorized\/2023\/12\/15\/rocket-lab-launches-japanese-earth-imaging-satellite\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T18:44:02","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T18:44:02","slug":"rocket-lab-launches-japanese-earth-imaging-satellite","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/artificial-intelligence\/2023\/12\/15\/rocket-lab-launches-japanese-earth-imaging-satellite\/","title":{"rendered":"Rocket Lab launches Japanese Earth-imaging satellite"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

California-based Rocket Lab, which specializes in putting small satellites into orbit, launched a Japanese satellite on Friday from the space company\u2019s complex on New Zealand\u2019s Mahia Peninsula.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The mission, named \u201cThe Moon God Awakens,\u201d was initially scheduled for Wednesday but was postponed due to forecast strong winds. The Electron rocket launched at 5:06 p.m. local time (0406 GMT).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
In this image released by Rocket Lab, an electron rocket successfully takes off from its launch site on the Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand, Friday, Dec. 15, 2023. California-based Rocket Lab launched a Japanese satellite TSUKUYOMI-I, into orbit on behalf of a Japanese start-up Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space Inc, Friday. (Rocket Lab via AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The rocket successfully carried the TSUKUYOMI-I satellite into orbit on behalf of Japanese startup Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space Inc., Rocket Lab said in a statement more than two hours after the launch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The synthetic-aperture radar satellite, named after a Japanese god of the moon, will collect images of the Earth, Rocket Lab said.<\/p>\n\n\n\t