Another Launch for Rocket Lab, but Ax-4 Mission Postponed

The 66th Electron rocket launched by Rocket Lab has deployed the latest satellite to orbit for Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space, Inc. (iQPS). The ‘The Mountain God Guards’ mission was Rocket Lab’s second launch in less than a month for iQPS and its fourth overall with 100% mission success.

The deployment of the QPS-SAR-11 was relayed to the early-morning YouTube audience by Rocket Lab Mission Control and Senior Communications Manager Murielle Baker ... backed by some new-age music produced specifically for the event.

Mission Control: "Payload separation, QPS-SAR-11 confirmed"

Baker: "Great callout there from mission control. That is payload deployment confirmed and mission success for Electron. And welcome to orbit QPS-SAR-11. Congratulations to the whole team at iQPS and another bird in the sky for your constellation. And once again, congratulations to the Rocket Lab team on another successful launch, because that is 66 total Electron launches in total now and our eighth mission of the year, with our next Electron mission less than two weeks away from Launch Complex 1 again."

With this mission, Electron has now deployed half of iQPS’s constellation of satellites operating on orbit. Another four dedicated missions with QPS-SAR satellites are scheduled to launch on Electron across the remainder of this year and 2026.

-0-

Over on this side of the planet, SpaceX stood down from the planned launch of the Axiom Space Ax-4 mission to the International Space Station twice this week. The culprit was a liquid oxygen leak identified during post static fire booster inspections. SpaceX says that once the issue has been remedied – and pending Range availability – a new launch date will be announced.

This will be the first flight for the Dragon spacecraft supporting this mission, and the second flight for the first stage booster, which previously launched a Starlink mission. Following stage separation, Falcon 9’s first stage will land on Landing Zone 1 (LZ-1) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

During their time on the orbiting laboratory, the international private crew will conduct more than 60 scientific experiments and demonstrations focused on human research, Earth observation, and life, biological, and material sciences.

-0-

Among those scientific experiments to be carried out by the Ax-4 crew is one that aims to advance diabetes management in microgravity and open access to space for more people. Researchers will demonstrate the accuracy of glucose monitoring and the viability of insulin on the ISS, with the long-term goal of supporting astronauts with insulin-dependent diabetes on future space missions.

The ISS National Lab-sponsored project, Suite Ride, is a partnership between Axiom Space and Burjeel Holdings PLC, a healthcare services provider based in the United Arab Emirates.

The team is sending several commercially available glucose monitors to the ISS to ensure they maintain a comparable level of accuracy in microgravity. One of the monitors samples interstitial fluid (the fluid filling the spaces between cells in the body) to measure glucose levels. Microgravity causes shifts in body fluids that could affect the accuracy of these devices. The study will also look at whether microgravity affects the integrity of insulin.

-0-

An advanced lunar and Martian manufacturing technology, "Mason", designed by Redwire, has passed Critical Design Review (CDR) with NASA participation. M