The Owl Spreads Its Wings
The Owl Spreads Its Wings was a Rocket Lab Electron mission for Synspective that launched successfully at 20:38 UTC on 15 September 2022 (8:38 a.m. NZST on 16 September; 4:38 p.m. EDT on 15 September) from Launch Complex 1B on New Zealand's Mahia Peninsula.
20:38 UTC on 15 September 2022 · 8:38 a.m. NZST on 16 September · 4:38 p.m. EDT on 15 September
Mission State
This mission currently has a dated launch window in the tracker.
The primary watch link points to an official Rocket Lab source.
Launch Updates
-
Successful launch
by Nosu Source: twitter.com -
Liftoff
by Nosu Source: youtube.com -
Updating to an instantaneous launch window
by Nosu Source: youtube.com
Updates via Launch Library 2 (The Space Devs).
Name Origin
The "Owl Spreads Its Wings" tagline symbolizes the launch of Synspective's StriX satellite. The "StriX" name is derived from 'Strix,' the owl genus, linking to the owl's keen vision and nocturnal capabilities, representing the satellite's radar imaging prowess.
Mission Overview
Second of three launches of a StriX satellite as part of Synspective’s SAR constellation. StriX-1 can gather high resolution Earth observation data regardless of conditions or daylight, offering a resilient and effective resource for the purposes of urban development, infrastructure monitoring, and disaster response.
Technical Details
40
kiwisLaunch data cross-checked against Wikipedia.
Was this a jellyfish launch?
UnlikelySun 27° above the horizon at liftoff — daylight, the sky is too bright.
Details
- Unlikely
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Liftoff
- 8:38 a.m. NZST · 20:38 UTC
- Astronomical dawn (−18°)
- 4:39 a.m. NZST · 16:39 UTC
- Nautical dawn (−12°)
- 5:10 a.m. NZST · 17:10 UTC
- Civil dawn (−6°)
- 5:41 a.m. NZST · 17:41 UTC
- Sunrise
- 6:08 a.m. NZST · 18:08 UTC
Twilight times at the pad (Mahia, NZ) for the morning of the launch.
What's a rocket jellyfish? When a rocket launches in twilight, the ground is dark but its exhaust plume climbs into sunlight high above. The expanding plume glows against the dark sky in a jellyfish-like shape.
Space-Object Catalog
| Object | Operator | Built by | Mass | Orbit | Status | NORAD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
StriX-1 2022-113A · Payload | Operator Synspective Inc. | Built by Synspective Inc. StriX | Mass 150 kg | Orbit 428 × 434 km · 97.4° | Status On orbit | NORAD 53815 |
Electron 30 Stage 2 2022-113B · Stage | Operator Rocket Lab Ltd. | Built by Rocket Lab Ltd. Electron St2 | Mass 250 kg | Orbit 124 × 181 km · 97.6° | Status Decayed 2022-09-28 | NORAD 53816 |
Electron 30 Kick Stage 2022-113C · Stage | Operator Rocket Lab Ltd. | Built by Rocket Lab Ltd. Kick Stage | Mass 40 kg | Orbit 149 × 172 km · 97.5° | Status Decayed 2026-08-08 | NORAD 53817 |
