QPS-SAR Small Radar Satellite Data Service

iQPS was founded in 2005 by Kyushu University professors in Fukuoka, Japan, to build a space industry rooted in Kyushu. It addresses a gap in optical satellite imagery: clouds, night and volcanic plumes block observation exactly when disasters or critical events occur.

QPS-SAR is a synthetic aperture radar satellite in the 100 kg class, about one-twentieth the mass of conventional SAR satellites, with a 3.6 m deployable mesh antenna. Stripmap mode covers wide areas at 1.8 m and Spotlight mode reaches about 46 cm. Onboard processing converts raw data into images in orbit to cut delivery time. More than 10 satellites are operating, with a goal of over 36 by 2030 and average revisit of about 10 minutes for a near-real-time data service used for disaster response, infrastructure, maritime and economic monitoring.

• Stripmap mode: wide-area radar imaging at 1.8 m resolution.
• Spotlight mode: local imaging at about 46 cm resolution.
• Lightweight design: 100 kg-class satellite with a 3.6 m deployable mesh antenna.
• Onboard processing: the FLIP processor creates images in orbit to reduce downlink time.
• Near-real-time data service: planned 10-minute average revisit as the constellation grows.
• Partner distribution: QPS-SAR data offered with COSMO-SkyMed through e-GEOS.

• Disaster agencies and insurers mapping flood and landslide damage during typhoons.
• Port and maritime authorities monitoring vessel activity at night.
• Infrastructure owners checking dams, bridges and construction sites regardless of weather.

• Day-and-night, all-weather imaging that is not blocked by clouds or smoke.
• Sub-50 cm Spotlight resolution from a small, lower-cost satellite.
• Growing constellation aiming for observation of most places about every 10 minutes on average.
• Combined products with COSMO-SkyMed through e-GEOS widen acquisition frequency and coverage.

Small SAR constellations are making frequent radar imaging affordable for disaster management, maritime awareness and infrastructure monitoring. Typhoons, floods and landslides in Vietnam and the wider region happen under heavy cloud, where radar is often the only usable satellite source.

Founded in 2005; headquarters in Chuo-ku, Fukuoka, Japan. Subsidiary of QPS Holdings, listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (code 464A). Works with more than 25 partner companies, mainly in northern Kyushu; satellites launched on Rocket Lab's Electron. Strategic collaboration with e-GEOS (Telespazio/ASI) announced September 2026.