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’s Electron vehicle is on the pad at Launch Complex 1 ready to launch for a confidential commercial customer.
Rocket Lab received a $23.9 million award under the U.S. CHIPS and Science Act in October 2025 to expand semiconductor production capabilities in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Rocket Lab was selected under contract from UCB-SSL to design, build, and provide commissioning operations for two high delta-V Explorer-class interplanetary spacecraft for ESCAPADE.
The planned Rocket Lab launch trajectory matches trajectories flown on launches for Synspective, iQPS, and BlackSky.
Hazard areas have appeared indicating a Rocket Lab launch is scheduled NET March 5, 2026 between 22:15 and 01:50 UTC.
Mynaric is the subject of an intensified bidding contest between Rheinmetall and Rocket Lab.
Rocket Lab will hand over operational control of the ESCAPADE mission to the University of California Berkeley Space Sciences Laboratory (UCB-SSL).
Rocket Lab’s vertically integrated spacecraft production for ESCAPADE included in-house design and build of solar arrays, reaction wheels, propellant tanks, star trackers, radios, avionics, and flight software.
Lieyan-2 generated 10 tons of thrust during the recent test with a specific impulse of 300 seconds, quadrupling the previous world electric-pump-fed engine thrust record held by Rocket Lab’s Rutherford.
Rocket Lab designed, built, and launched the two ESCAPADE spacecraft.
Rocket Lab moved from concept to launch readiness for ESCAPADE in just over three years.
Rocket Lab successfully launched Hypersonix’s DART-AE on the HASTE vehicle on March 4, 2026.
Hazard areas indicated a Rocket Lab launch was scheduled NET March 4, 2026.
Rocket Lab’s growing network of facilities across New Zealand and the United States serves a total contract backlog of $1.85 billion across its launch and space systems businesses.
Geost was acquired by Rocket Lab in August 2025 and now forms part of Rocket Lab Optical Systems.
The Auckland Machine Complex will support high-volume manufacturing of components for Rocket Lab’s spacecraft customers, support acceleration of Electron rocket production rate, and supply machined components for Neutron.
Rocket Lab received a contract from the Space Development Agency related to the Tranche 3 Tracking Layer.
Rocket Lab acquired Optical Support, Inc. (OSI).
Rocket Lab acquired Precision Components Limited (PCL) in Auckland, New Zealand.
OSI’s advanced lenses and optomechanical systems are used in national security and commercial satellites and in Rocket Lab Optical Systems’ high-performance payloads for space protection, space domain awareness, missile warning, tracking, and defense.