Rocket Lab Kinéis Constellation Is Complete In Record Time 

Rocket Lab has recently transported five satellites into orbit. Like most Rocket Lab launches, this is the norm. However, what stands out is that Rocket Lab’s Electron launch successfully saw the completion of the Kinéis satellite constellation. Operating in low Earth orbit (LEO), the Kinéis constellation is designed to provide precise connectivity and tracking. Another interesting element of the launch is that Rocket Lab completed their contractual requirements in under a year.

Sir Peter Beck, Rocket Lab’s CEO, said: “That’s five missions out of five for Kinéis delivered flawlessly by Electron. Many constellation operators wait years for their first mission, but we’ve deployed Kinéis’ mission in under a year and with 100% dedicated launches where they have been able to select launch site, date, and orbital parameters allowing them to maximize coverage for each of their 25 spacecraft. We’re proud to have enabled a more connected world through Kinéis’ IoT spacecraft and look forward to seeing all the valuable data and insights the constellation provides in the coming months and years.”

The Kinéis Constellation

Developed by French satellite IoT developers, Kinéis, the constellation is a major milestone in their space activities. Launched on 18 March, from Rocket Lab’s launch complex in New Zealand, five satellites were injected into LEO, approximately 650 km from Earth. Labelled the “High Five mission”, the five satellites joined the other 20 already transported – bringing Kinéis’ constellation to 25 operational satellites.

The French organisation provides ubiquitous coverage to its users via space-orientated connectivity. The uptick in space-based solutions has been engendered by today’s rapidly evolving technological landscape. Another reason could be attributed to the volume of dead zones across Earth. As a result, Rocket Lab said: “the Kinéis constellation is designed to make it possible to connect and locate any connected object anywhere in the world.” 

How Kinéis Plans To Use It’s New Constellation

Now operational, the Kinéis constellation provides augmented data transmission in near-real time. In addition, Rocket Lab said the satellites operate “at low bit rates and with very low energy consumption,” addressing the sustainability sentiment of space activities. Kinéis also plans to utilise its constellation to assist in natural phenomena and necessitated services via omnipresent connection in all locations – such as remote regions. Such services include: 

• “Forest fire detection
• Water resource management
• Infrastructure
• Energy network monitoring
• Transport and logistics tracking  and much more.”

Rocket Lab’s 4th Electron Launch In 2025

The start of 2025 for Electron has been jam packed with launches for Kinéis, BlackSky, and iQPS. The most recent marked the fifth launch for the rocket developers this year. Seeing as 2025 is still in its infancy, Rocket Lab is signalling plans to maintain a rapid pace of launches. Since 2018, Rocket Lab has been transporting the Kinéis over five trips to LEO. Christophe Vassal, Kinéis’ Chairman of the Supervisory Board, stated “the final one in a series of five, crowns an exceptional effort carried out with solid partners like Rocket Lab, enabling the deployment of our IoT-dedicated constellation in less than a year.”