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Electron | The Lightning God Defends (iQPS Launch 8)
Electron | The Lightning God Defends (iQPS Launch 8) launched on Thu, Aug 20, 2026, 01:04 PM UTC — a Rocket Lab mission.
Launch SuccessfulRocket Lab
Lifted offNET Aug 2026
NET Thu, Aug 20, 2026, 01:04 PM UTC
Live coverage
Watch the webcast
Mission profile
The flight at a glance
ElectronVehicle
Rocket LabProvider
Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1BPad
Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New ZealandLocation
Earth ScienceMission type
Low Earth OrbitOrbit
Flight sequence
Mission timeline
Key events from liftoff — ignition, staging, separation and deployment — with their times relative to T0.
- StartupT- 00:02:00
- IgnitionT- 00:00:02
- LiftoffT+ 00:00:00
- SupersonicT+ 00:00:58
- Max-QT+ 00:01:09
- MECOT+ 00:02:26
- Stage 2 SeparationT+ 00:02:29
- SEST+ 00:02:33
- Fairing SeparationT+ 00:03:36
- Battery HotswapT+ 00:06:28
- SECOT+ 00:09:01
- Kick Stage SeparationT+ 00:09:05
- Kick Stage IgnitionT+ 00:46:33
- Kick Stage Cut-offT+ 00:49:27
- Payload SeparationT+ 00:50:18
Flight simulation
Ascent to orbit
A representative gravity-turn climb for Electron to Low Earth Orbit. Illustrative model — not this mission’s live telemetry.
Mission timeT+0:00
Altitude0.0 km
Velocity0.00 km/s
PhaseLiftoff
T+0:00 / 8:00
SimulatedRepresentative Electron ascent profile — illustrative model, not this mission’s live telemetry.
The mission
The Lightning God Defends (iQPS Launch 8)
Synthetic aperture radar Earth observation satellite for Japanese Earth imaging company iQPS.
Around this launch
Related news
No news linked to this launch yet
As coverage publishes, deduplicated articles about this mission will appear here.
Good to know
Frequently asked
What time does Electron | The Lightning God Defends (iQPS Launch 8) launch?
Electron | The Lightning God Defends (iQPS Launch 8) is scheduled to lift off Thu, Aug 20, 2026, 01:04 PM UTC.
Where can I watch Electron | The Lightning God Defends (iQPS Launch 8)?
Watch the official live webcast embedded on this page — it goes live shortly before liftoff.
Who is launching Electron | The Lightning God Defends (iQPS Launch 8)?
Electron | The Lightning God Defends (iQPS Launch 8) is an Rocket Lab mission flying on a Electron.
Where does Electron | The Lightning God Defends (iQPS Launch 8) launch from?
It lifts off from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B, Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand.