Fukuoka, JAPAN – March 4, 2024 – Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space, Inc. (iQPS) announced that its satellite QPS-SAR-9, named “SUSANOO-I”, is scheduled to launch aboard a Rocket Lab’s Electron on “The Lightning God Reigns” mission.

The Lightning God Reigns Mission (Rocket Lab)

＜About QPS-SAR Project＞

QPS-SAR is an advanced small SAR satellite developed by iQPS. The company has engineered a patented large deployable antenna that is both lightweight and highly compact, enabling the satellite to emit strong radio waves. This breakthrough led to the successful development of QPS-SAR, a high-resolution small SAR satellite that is just 1/20th the weight and 1/100th the cost of traditional SAR satellites. To date, eight QPS-SAR satellites have been launched and iQPS aims to establish a constellation of 24 satellites by FY2027 and eventually to 36 satellites. This will enable the delivery of a “Near-Real-Time Data Provisioning Service,” allowing for the observation of specific regions worldwide at an average interval of 10 minutes. This will make it possible to collect continuous images as data, and to accumulate data not only on “Stationary Objects” such as land and buildings, but also on “Moving Objects” such as vehicles, ships, and cattle and livestock.

The data gathered by QPS-SAR constellation has the potential to revolutionize industries and reshape the future. By leveraging insights from moving object data, we can unlock new economic value, enhance urban safety and security, and provide predictive analytics for agriculture, national economies, and regional markets when integrated with weather, market, and economic data. The possibilities are limitless. QPS-SAR also enables swift situational awareness in emergencies. With multiple satellites in orbit, capable of penetrating clouds and plumes, it provides 24/7 monitoring, ensuring rapid assessment and effective countermeasure planning—regardless of weather conditions.

＜About iQPS＞

Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space, Inc. (iQPS) is a pioneering space startup founded in 2005 by two Emeritus Professors from Kyushu University and a rocket developer with the mission of establishing a space industry in Japan’s Kyushu region. Building on more than 20 years of small satellite development expertise at Kyushu University, iQPS now brings together a dynamic team of young engineers, industry leaders, and visionary professors emeritus. The company’s growth is further strengthened by the support of over 25 partner companies throughout Japan, primarily based in northern Kyushu.