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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The NROL-162 and NROL-199 launches will use Rocket Lab’s Electron launch vehicle.
Rocket Lab plans to deploy satellites to space for the National Reconnaissance Office within 10 days of each other on the two scheduled Electron launches.
The NROL-199 mission (Antipodean Adventure) is scheduled to launch no earlier than 2022-07-22 from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 Pad B.
The NROL-162 and NROL-199 missions are the third and fourth RASR missions contracted to Rocket Lab by the NRO under the RASR contract.
StriX-ß was launched on 2022-03-01 (JST) on Rocket Lab’s Electron from the Mahia Peninsula launch site in New Zealand.
StriX-β was launched by Rocket Lab’s Electron from New Zealand’s Mahia Peninsula launch site on 2022-03-01 (JST).
The NROL-162 mission (Wise One Looks Ahead) is scheduled to launch no earlier than 2022-07-12 from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 Pad A.
Rocket Lab deployed CAPSTONE on its ballistic lunar transfer trajectory at 07:18 UTC on 2022-07-04.
At 300 kg (299.82 kg.) of payload mass, CAPSTONE was the heaviest payload launched to date by Rocket Lab’s Electron.
Rocket Lab operates three launch pads at two launch sites, including two pads at a private orbital launch site in New Zealand and a second launch site in Virginia that was expected to become operational in 2022.
Since its first orbital launch in January 2018, Rocket Lab’s Electron has delivered 147 satellites to orbit for public and private organizations.
Rocket Lab successfully deployed the CAPSTONE satellite for NASA into low Earth orbit on 2022-06-28.
Rocket Lab selected Photon as an interplanetary spacecraft platform for multiple missions, including the ESCAPADE mission to Mars in 2024 and a private mission to Venus.
NASA is spending about $30,000,000 on CAPSTONE across its contracts with Advanced Space and Rocket Lab.
CAPSTONE is a NASA-funded lunar cubesat that began its translunar journey on 2022-07-04 after a series of burns by a Rocket Lab transfer stage.
Rocket Lab’s Lunar Photon stage released the Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment (CAPSTONE) cubesat at 3:18 a.m. Eastern.
Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket launched Lunar Photon and CAPSTONE on 2022-06-28, placing them into low Earth orbit.
Rocket Lab is headquartered in Long Beach, California and designs and manufactures the Electron small orbital launch vehicle and the Photon satellite platform.
Rocket Lab’s Electron launched NASA’s Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment (CAPSTONE) cubesat on 2022-06-28.
NASA awarded a $9,950,000 contract to Rocket Lab in 2020 for the CAPSTONE launch.