A New Zealand Launch Sends Capella Space’s Acadia ERS Satellite Into Orbit
A recent Electron rocket mission from Rocket Lab lifted Capella Space’s Acadia Earth Remote Sensing satellite into orbit from New Zealand. The launch marks another step in Capella Space expanding its radar imaging capabilities and growing its data footprint for a wide range of customers. The mission is part of Capella Space efforts to deploy a larger network of small satellites that can provide timely radar data for diverse needs.
The We Love Nightlife mission occurred at 11:45 am local time on the Mahia Peninsula. The ascent was quiet as the 160-kilogram satellite rode the launcher toward its planned orbit, with insertion expected about an hour after liftoff. The operational cadence of the mission reflects the growing practice of deploying small satellites to enhance global sensing capabilities with rapid revisit times.
Acadia is designed to host a synthetic aperture radar payload that delivers high-resolution radar imagery. The satellite is planned to operate in an orbit around 640 kilometers above Earth, producing imagery with a resolution up to 0.3 meters. This level of clarity supports quick responses to requests from government agencies and private clients, enabling access to timely and actionable radar data for a range of missions.
Capella Space aims to build a constellation of 36 satellites, creating a network capable of capturing radar imagery of any location on the planet within intervals of no more than one hour. This rapid revisit capability enhances monitoring, disaster response, and strategic planning across a broad set of applications, from infrastructure assessment to environmental monitoring.
Since 2020 Capella Space has established agreements with major United States government partners to provide synthetic aperture radar data. Notable collaborations include those with the Pentagon and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency NGA, supplying radar data to military and civilian users including naval authorities. The company sits within the broader U S space data ecosystem as it expands its services and reliability for a growing client base. — Capella Space press materials
In a wider context, recent space achievements by various nations highlight the rapid development of space sensing and related technologies around the world. The Capella Space mission adds to this evolving narrative about how radar imaging supports security, infrastructure, and environmental monitoring on a planetary scale. The discussion underscores the ongoing momentum in radar-based Earth observation and its potential for public and private sector use. — industry reports