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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Rocket Lab started trading publicly on the Nasdaq on 2021-08-25 after completing a merger with a special-purpose acquisition company.
Rocket Lab won a contract from Astroscale for the launch of the Active Debris Removal by Astroscale-Japan (ADRAS-J) spacecraft on 2021-09-21.
Rocket Lab shares closed up about 0.5% at $14.54 on 2021-09-22, representing a gain of nearly 40% from the end of the company’s first day of trading.
Astroscale Japan signed an agreement with Rocket Lab USA, Inc. to launch the Active Debris Removal by Astroscale-Japan (ADRAS-J) spacecraft.
Lockheed Martin Ventures invested in Rocket Lab and ABL Space Systems in 2019.
Rocket Lab completed a SPAC merger with Vector Acquisition Corporation and began trading on the Nasdaq on 2021-08-25 with $777,000,000 in capital and a 3% redemption rate.
Rocket Lab is forecasting full-year 2021 revenue of $50–54 million.
Rocket Lab expects only $4–5 million in revenue in the third quarter of 2021 because of a lack of further launch activity.
Rocket Lab does not anticipate performing its next Electron launch before the end of September 2021 because of COVID-19 restrictions in New Zealand caused by the delta variant.
Rocket Lab’s launch business revenue increased from $8,500,000 in the first half of 2020 to $24,100,000 in the first half of 2021.
Rocket Lab purchased smallsat component supplier Sinclair Interplanetary in early 2020.
The five Electron launches would produce more than $40,000,000 in revenue for Rocket Lab, but the company is forecasting only $17–20 million in revenue for the fourth quarter of 2021.
New Zealand COVID-19 restrictions delayed Rocket Lab’s plans to perform three dedicated Electron launches of BlackSky satellites that had been scheduled to begin in late August 2021.
Rocket Lab recorded $29,500,000 in revenue in the first half of 2021 and a net loss of $32,500,000 for the same period.
Rocket Lab says New Zealand lockdowns caused by a COVID-19 delta surge will postpone launches to at least October 2021 and cut its projected revenues for the year.
Kinéis selected Rocket Lab as the launch partner to deploy its 25-satellite constellation.
Rocket Lab will launch 25 satellites for Kinéis over five dedicated launches starting in the second quarter of 2023.
Rocket Lab announced a separate multi-launch contract in March to launch eight BlackSky imaging satellites.
Rocket Lab contracted to deploy 25 Internet-of-Things satellites across five dedicated Electron missions for Kinéis.
Rocket Lab will deploy an entire constellation of internet-of-things satellites for French startup Kinéis under a multi-launch deal dated 2021-09-08.