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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A third dedicated Rocket Lab mission will follow the November launches to deploy two additional BlackSky Gen-2 satellites.
The contract value for Rocket Lab to launch ACS3 was $1,092,000.
A Gen-2 satellite for BlackSky was deployed on Rocket Lab’s "They Go Up So Fast" rideshare mission in March 2021.
Rocket Lab received a Phase 1 SBIR award from DARPA in 2015 for studies that included examining the use of Electron as an upper stage for DARPA’s XS-1 spaceplane and for flight data to support development of an autonomous flight termination system.
Varda Space purchased three Photon satellite buses from Rocket Lab in August 2022 but did not choose Rocket Lab’s Electron for the initial launch.
A two-week launch window for Rocket Lab’s 22nd Electron launch opens 2021-11-11 and runs through 2021-11-24.
Each of the November 2021 dedicated Rocket Lab missions will deploy two Gen-2 satellites for BlackSky.
A two-week launch window for Rocket Lab’s 23rd Electron launch opens 2021-11-27.
The two dedicated November missions are part of a multi-launch agreement signed between Rocket Lab and Spaceflight Inc. for BlackSky earlier in 2021.
Rocket Lab had been awarded competitive Phase I and Phase II awards with the Department of Defense that made the company eligible for a NASA Phase 3 launch award.
Rocket Lab will launch NASA’s CAPSTONE lunar smallsat mission on an Electron rocket no earlier than late 2021.
ACS3 will launch as part of a rideshare mission scheduled for lift-off from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in mid-2022.
Rocket Lab USA, Inc. has been selected to launch NASA’s Advanced Composite Solar Sail System (ACS3) on its Electron launch vehicle.
The Electron launch vehicle’s Kick Stage ability to deploy individual satellites to unique orbits while flying as part of a rideshare was a key factor in Rocket Lab being selected as the launch provider for ACS3.
TSEL aims to achieve full flight heritage next year when it will serve as the operating system for the Lunasonde satellite launching to LEO with Rocket Lab.
Lunasonde has arranged for Rocket Lab to launch another operational satellite to low Earth orbit next year capable of seeing up to 2 km below land surfaces and 500 m below water.
The U.S. Space Force Space Systems Command selected Blue Origin, Rocket Lab, SpaceX, and United Launch Alliance to participate in technology development projects on 2021-09-24.
Rocket Lab will receive $24,300,000 for upper stage development of its future Neutron launch vehicle.
SSC’s Launch Enterprise awarded a FY21 prototype project for Upper Stage Development for Neutron to Rocket Lab for $24,350,000.
Rocket Lab won a contract on 2021-09-08 for five Electron launches to deploy a 25-satellite internet-of-things constellation for French startup Kinéis.