In 2020
The owl’s night begins
Information
- 2020/12/15
Synspective’s First Satellite “Strix-α” Successfully Reached Its Target Orbit - 2020/12/11
【Postponed】Notice of Change in Launch Schedule for Synspective’s Small SAR Satellite "Strix-α" - 2020/12/10
Notice of Change in Launch Schedule for Synspective’s Small SAR Satellite “Strix-α” - 2020/12/07
“Strix-α” launch online event to be held on Saturday, December 12, 2020 - 2020/11/25
Notice regarding launch schedule for our first small SAR satellite
Mission overview
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.
We plan to launch the demonstration satellite "StriX-β (Strix Beta)" 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.
Learn more about "StriX-α"Launch mission
Launcher: Rocket Lab, Inc.
Rocket: Electron
Range: New Zealand
Orbit: Sun-synchronous orbit, altitude 500 km
Launch date: 15th December UTC.
Mission name
The owl’s night begins
Background and Meaning:
"The owl's night begins" stands for the "owl", representing our satellite that carries the name "StriX" which is a genus of owls.
The "night" part is about SAR's capabilities to see through any condition including the night's darkness and the "begins" part represents that this is the first satellite of many to come and that Synspective's presence in the sky is starting.
