Rocket Lab is an end-to-end space company and launch service provider, specializing in small satellite launches with its Electron rocket, which has launched 63 times as of April 2025. They are also developing the larger Neutron rocket for constellation deployment. Rocket Lab provides complete space solutions including satellite design and manufacture, spacecraft components, and on-orbit management, serving commercial, civil, and defense markets, with major partners including NASA and the US Space Force. Key products include the Electron and Neutron rockets, Photon satellite bus, and various satellite components.
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Virginia will be the home of Rocket Lab’s Neutron launch vehicle, which the company plans to build, test, launch, and land at Wallops Flight Facility in the future.
The "Virginia is for Launch Lovers" mission was the first of three Electron launches for HawkEye 360 in a contract that will see Rocket Lab deliver 15 satellites to low Earth orbit in 2023 and 2024.
Rocket Lab acquired Planetary Systems Corporation, a Maryland-based space hardware company, in December 2021.
Rocket Lab’s Neutron launch vehicle will be built, tested, launched, and landed within the Wallops Flight Facility in the future.
Rocket Lab plans for its larger Neutron launch vehicle to be built, tested, launched, and landed at Wallops Flight Facility.
Rocket Lab performed the first Electron launch from Virginia on 2023-01-24, placing three HawkEye 360 satellites into orbit.
HawkEye 360 contracted three dedicated Rocket Lab USA flights, and the Cluster 6 launch was the first of those three missions.
Rocket Lab planned in December 2019 to conduct the first LC-2 launch by mid-2020.
Rocket Lab projected that four to six Electron launches in 2023 would take place from Wallops, including two spring launches to deploy NASA’s four TROPICS cubesats under a NASA task order announced in November.
Rocket Lab acquired Planetary Systems Corporation, a Maryland-based space hardware company, in December 2021.
Rocket Lab will supply HawkEye 360 with separation systems produced by Planetary Systems Corporation.
Combined with Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand, Rocket Lab’s launch sites can support more than 130 launch opportunities per year.
Rocket Lab’s previous 32 Electron launches took place from Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand.
Rocket Lab’s Photon spacecraft platform has been selected to support NASA missions to the Moon and Mars and a private commercial mission to Venus.
Electron has delivered 152 satellites to orbit across 32 missions launched from Rocket Lab’s private Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand.
The Rocket Lab Electron flight from Launch Complex 2 was the first of three dedicated Rocket Lab USA Inc. flights contracted by HawkEye 360.
Rocket Lab broke ground on Launch Complex 2 in October 2018 and declared the site complete in December 2019.
Rocket Lab planned approximately 14 Electron launches in 2023 after conducting nine Electron launches in 2022.
Rocket Lab launched its 33rd Electron rocket on the "Virginia is for Launch Lovers" mission from Launch Complex 2 at Virginia Space’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on 2023-01-24 at 18:00 EST.
Rocket Lab designs and manufactures the Electron small orbital launch vehicle and the Photon satellite platform and is developing the Neutron launch vehicle.