The Wisdom God Guides
The Wisdom God Guides was a Rocket Lab Electron mission for iQPS that launched successfully at 06:36 UTC on 21 December 2025 (7:36 p.m. NZDT on 21 December; 1:36 a.m. EST on 21 December) from Launch Complex 1B on New Zealand's Mahia Peninsula.
06:36 UTC on 21 December 2025 · 7:36 p.m. NZDT on 21 December · 1:36 a.m. EST on 21 December
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
-
Satellite in contact.
by Cosmic_Penguin Source: i-qps.net -
Spacecraft separation.
by Cosmic_Penguin Source: youtube.com -
Liftoff.
by Cosmic_Penguin Source: youtube.com
Updates via Launch Library 2 (The Space Devs).
Name Origin
Named for QPS-SAR-15 "SUKUNAMI-I." Sukunabikona, contracted as "Sukunami," is the Shinto god of wisdom and medicine. He partnered with Okuninushi (Yachihoko, the prior mission) to build Japan.
Mission Overview
Synthetic aperture radar Earth observation satellite for Japanese Earth imaging company iQPS.
In the news
- Rocket Lab launches final mission of 2025, sends Japanese Earth-observing satellite to orbit (video) (opens in a new tab) Space.com
Rocket Lab launched its 21st and final mission of 2025, deploying the iQPS QPS-SAR-15 satellite to orbit from New Zealand on Dec; 21.
Technical Details
40
kiwisLaunch data cross-checked against Wikipedia.
Was this a jellyfish launch?
UnlikelySun 9° above the horizon at liftoff — daylight, the sky is too bright.
Details
- Unlikely
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Liftoff
- 7:36 p.m. NZDT · 06:36 UTC
- Sunset
- 8:34 p.m. NZDT · 07:34 UTC
- Civil dusk (−6°)
- 9:07 p.m. NZDT · 08:07 UTC
- Nautical dusk (−12°)
- 9:47 p.m. NZDT · 08:47 UTC
- Astronomical dusk (−18°)
- 10:35 p.m. NZDT · 09:35 UTC
Twilight times at the pad (Mahia, NZ) for the evening 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sukunami-I 2025-307A · Payload | Operator Kabushikigaisha QPS kenkyujo | Built by Kabushikigaisha QPS kenkyujo QSAT | Mass 120 kg | Orbit 561 × 574 km · 42.0° | Status On orbit | NORAD 67228 |
Electron 79 Stage 2 2025-307B · Stage | Operator Rocket Lab Ltd. | Built by Rocket Lab Ltd. Electron St2 | Mass 250 kg | Orbit 160 × 202 km · 42.0° | Status Decayed 2026-01-23 | NORAD 67229 |
Electron 79 Kick Stage 2025-307C · Stage | Operator Rocket Lab Ltd. | Built by Rocket Lab Ltd. Kick Stage | Mass 42 kg | Orbit 143 × 166 km · 42.0° | Status Decayed 2026-01-16 | NORAD 67230 |
