Japanese Space Industry Startup Synspecitve announces launch of its first SAR satellite

Synspective Inc., a SAR satellite data and related solutions provider, has announced the official launch schedule of “StriX-α”, its first SAR satellite.

The launch window is set during a 14-day launch window opening on 12 December UTC. The exact lift-off target date and time will be confirmed soon.

An online, open-access, event is scheduled for the launch. The details will soon be available on Synspective’s website.

Rocket Lab’s Electron launches from Rocket Lab’s launch site on the Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand, and the Target Orbit is the Sun Synchronous Orbit, at an altitude of 500km

Synspective’s SAR satellite technology was initially developed through the “ImPACT” program led by The Cabinet Office, Government of Japan. “StriX-α” is a product of this effort, further developed for commercial use through Synspective, and is now the company’s first demonstration satellite.

“StriX-a” is in the 100kg satellites class and about 1/10 of a conventional large SAR satellite. The SAR antenna is five meters long. While folded at launch, it deploys in orbit. The StriX satellite constellation can target data with a ground resolution of 1-3m, single polarized (VV), and a swath width of more than 10-30km. The satellite is capable of two observation modes: strip map and sliding spotlight.

The demonstration satellite “StriX-β (Strix Beta)” is set to be launched following StriX-α in 2021. By 2022, Synspective will launch four commercial satellites, aiming to build and operate a system that enables wide-area, high-frequency ground observation, with a constellation of 30 satellites.

Synspective founder and CEO, Dr. Motoyuki Arai, commented, “We are so happy to share this commemorable launch of our first satellite, the StriX-α, together with Rocket Lab. This is just the start of a 30 SAR satellites constellation. The captured SAR data will make Synspective’s solution even more valuable, enabling innovation in Infrastructure AEC, finance & insurance, and disaster mitigation, among others. We released our first Land Displacement Monitoring solution in September, and anticipate our services line-up to rapidly increase, as our constellation grows. We are very excited to begin the scaling of our business, which includes both SAR satellites and downstream solutions.” Rocket Lab founder and CEO, Peter Beck, says, “We’re honoured to be providing the ride to orbit for Synspective, and playing a pivotal role in deploying the first satellite of their constellation. By flying as a dedicated mission on Electron, the Synspective team has complete control over their orbit and launch schedule, giving them a degree of certainty over a crucial time in their business development.”