Synspective signs H3 launch deal for two StriX satellites

Synspective has signed a launch service agreement with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries for two StriX satellites, securing a launch aboard Japan's H3 rocket in the second half of 2027. The agreement was announced on 18 September 2026 from Ibadan and supports the expansion of Synspective's commercial Earth-observation constellation.

The satellites will launch aboard the H3-22L variant from the JAXA Tanegashima Space Center and will be deployed into a mid-inclination orbit. This orbit is selected to support high-frequency observations of major economic centers and disaster-prone regions worldwide, including the Asia-Pacific.

H3 adds a new launch option for Synspective

The agreement adds a new dimension to Synspective's launch strategy. Since 2020, Rocket Lab has been the sole launch provider for Synspective's constellation, with StriX satellites launching on Electron from New Zealand. The H3 agreement introduces Japan's domestic launch vehicle as an additional route to orbit.

Synspective described the agreement as a step toward greater strategic autonomy in access to space. The domestic launch option provides a transportation foundation for the rapid expansion of its constellation. The company linked reliable and continuous satellite deployment to its goal of making SAR data an operational asset for disaster response, infrastructure monitoring and security.

Takashi Nakamura, Executive Officer at Synspective, said: "For SAR data to become an operational, dependable asset in disaster response, infrastructure monitoring, and security, satellites must be delivered into orbit continuously and reliably." He added that the agreement with MHI provides that foundation and represents a meaningful undertaking where Japan's space transportation capabilities and Synspective's mission converge.

A new constellation for sharing small SAR satellite constellation capacity

The H3 agreement comes as Synspective expands its constellation strategy beyond the existing StriX program. On 15 September 2026, the company announced Synspective OMNIA, a new program designed to share the capabilities of a small SAR satellite constellation among multiple users.

Under the OMNIA model, customers can secure priority observation and data-acquisition rights for specific regions and orbital paths without making the large investment required to build and operate an independent satellite system. The model addresses cost and utilization challenges associated with dedicated satellite systems by pooling demand across multiple users.

OMNIA will involve the construction of a new, dedicated constellation alongside Synspective's existing StriX constellation. This combination will increase observation frequency, redundancy and regional coverage while enabling more flexible priority access for customers. The program will also combine satellite constellation capacity with Synspective's SAR data-analysis capabilities, extending the service beyond access to SAR data to the delivery of information intended to support operational decision-making.

Motoyuki Arai, CEO of Synspective Inc, explained: "We believe that in the years ahead, as the world faces many different risks, information from space should be used widely around the world."

He added: By expanding our operations with a new constellation, we will build, together with partners, a system that can observe the whole globe, something no single country or organization could do on its own. The name OMNIA, which we gave this program, reflects our wish to share all of our observation capabilities so that anyone can see and understand any place with their own eyes.

Synspective's agreement with MHI also follows a similar deal with Japanese lunar exploration company ispace. In July 2026, ispace signed a launch and transportation services contract with MHI for its Mission 3 ULTRA lunar lander, which is scheduled to launch aboard an H3 rocket in 2028. Both agreements demonstrate H3's expanding role as a domestic launch option for Japan's commercial space sector, from lunar transportation to satellite-based Earth observation.

The H3 agreement therefore comes at a significant point in Synspective's expansion, as the company moves to diversify its access to orbit while building out the satellite infrastructure needed for a broader commercial Earth-observation service.