Rocket Lab began 2026 with a powerful statement about the future of small satellite launches. On January 22, 2026, its Electron rocket lifted off from New Zealand, carrying two satellites for Open Cosmos, a European company focused on expanding Earth observation and data-sharing capabilities. The mission, dubbed “The Cosmos Will See You Now,” marks the company’s 80th successful launch.
A New Year, A New Milestone For Rocket Lab
The year has started strong for Rocket Lab, as the company executed its first mission of 2026 with precise efficiency. The Electron rocket, standing at 59 feet (18 meters) tall, successfully deployed two satellites for Open Cosmos into low Earth orbit, demonstrating the growing reliability of small satellite launchers. This mission, launched at 5:52 a.m. EST, adds to Rocket Lab’s impressive record of 80 total flights to date.
According to Rocket Lab, “The Cosmos Will See You Now” was its 80th overall mission, highlighting the company’s commitment to providing consistent, cost-effective access to orbit. The Electron remains one of the few rockets tailored for small payloads, making it an essential asset for commercial and scientific operators. Its reusable and flexible design continues to attract international clients, allowing Rocket Lab to maintain a leading role in the competitive launch market.
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Open Cosmos Expands Its Constellation And Its Vision
For Open Cosmos, this launch is a key step toward its broader mission: democratizing access to space-based data. The company aims to build a telecommunication and Earth observation constellation that delivers high-resolution imagery and analytics tools across industries. According to Open Cosmos,
“Our approach not only dramatically lowers the costs, complexity and timescales of missions, but it also simplifies access to EO [Earth observation] data in a way that removes the barriers for all companies — even non-space customers — to address society’s most urgent challenges.”
By partnering with Rocket Lab, Open Cosmos continues to expand its footprint in space infrastructure, empowering businesses, governments, and researchers with accessible satellite data. The company’s constellation strategy will improve monitoring for climate change, agriculture, urban development, and disaster response, bridging the gap between traditional aerospace organizations and modern data-driven enterprises.
The Cosmos Will See You Now: A Leap In Earth Observation
Rocket Lab’s collaboration with Open Cosmos represents more than just another satellite launch, it symbolizes a shift toward smarter, more integrated space ecosystems. In a post-launch statement shared with Space.com, Rocket Lab explained, “This new constellation complements the already-in-orbit satellites that deliver high-resolution imagery and global monitoring capabilities, supporting a wide range of applications and providing valuable metadata for diverse uses.”
This growing network of satellites will play a crucial role in providing real-time environmental and communication data to various industries. As the number of active small satellites increases, companies like Open Cosmos are redefining how space assets interact and deliver actionable insights back to Earth. Rocket Lab’s efficient and dependable Electron launcher makes this expansion possible, bridging technological innovation and commercial scalability.