Rocket Lab Launches 3 'Hawk' Satellites to Orbit to Gather Signals Intelligence
The mission was Rocket Lab’s 98th Electron launch and carried three HawkEye 360 satellites for radio-frequency intelligence services.
- On October 23, 2026, at 8:11 p.m. NZDT, Rocket Lab launched the "We're Not Hawking Around" mission from its New Zealand launch complex, delivering three HawkEye 360 satellites to 520-kilometer low Earth orbit.
- This 98th Electron flight marks Rocket Lab's 19th mission in 2026, extending the two-stage, 59-foot-tall rocket's record as the most prolific launcher globally dedicated to small satellites.
- Operating in tri-satellite formation, the Hawks will scan the globe for radio frequency emissions, providing data to the U.S. government and allies "to enable faster, better decision-making," the company said.
- Just two days ago, SpaceX's Bandwagon-5 mission deployed three additional HawkEye 360 satellites, underscoring the rapid expansion of the constellation across multiple launch providers.
- Rocket Lab has powered more than 1,700 missions in Earth orbit, demonstrating the schedule assurance and production rate demanded by commercial satellite companies and defense operators worldwide.
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Rocket Lab (NASDAQ: RKLB) Completes 98th Electron Launch, Deploying HawkEye 360 Satellites
Rocket Lab Corporation (NASDAQ: RKLB), a global leader in launch services and space systems, has successfully completed its 98th Electron rocket launch, delivering three satellites to low Earth orbit for signals intelligence company HawkEye 360. The mission, named “We’re Not Hawking Around,” lifted off from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand, at […]
Brampton Guardian
MISSION SUCCESS: Rocket Lab Launches 98th Electron Mission
MAHIA, New Zealand, Oct. 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rocket Lab Corporation (Nasdaq: RKLB), a global leader in launch services and space systems, today launched its Electron rocket to deliver a dedicated mission to space for HawkEye 360, a signals…
HawkEye 360 Launch Adds Second Cluster for Dedicated RF Capacity
Herndon, October 23, 2026, 07:21 (EDT) Rocket Lab (NASDAQ:RKLB) said it successfully launched three HawkEye 360 (NYSE:HAWK) satellites on Friday. The Electron flight carried the operator’s second cluster designed around dedicated customer collection capacity. The commercial change concerns how satellite sensing time is allocated. HawkEye’s October 20 announcement identified Clusters 15 and 16 as its…
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