Rocket Lab
Rocket Lab
RKLBRocket Lab is a leading aerospace company providing end-to-end space solutions including launch services, spacecraft manufacturing, and on-orbit operations.
Long Beach, United States Est. 2006 Commercial
- Founded
- 2006
- Headquarters
- Long Beach, United States
- Stage
- Public
- Ownership
- Listed
- Market cap
- $40.3B-22.4% 30d
- Employees
- 2,600as of 2025
- Last round
- SPAC · $777M2021-08
- Investors
- 2
Quick Facts
Country
United States
Founded
2006
Type
commercial
Status
public
About Rocket Lab
Updated 2026-09-09
Rocket Lab is a leading aerospace company providing end-to-end space solutions including launch services, spacecraft manufacturing, and on-orbit operations. Founded in 2006 by Peter Beck in New Zealand and now headquartered in Long Beach, California, the company has established itself as the second most frequently launched U.S. rocket operator behind SpaceX.
The company trades on NASDAQ under the ticker RKLB following its 2021 SPAC merger. Rocket Lab employs approximately 2,000 people across facilities in California, Virginia, New Zealand, and Colorado. Under founder and CEO Peter Beck, the company has evolved from a small satellite launch provider into a comprehensive space systems company.
History and Milestones
Peter Beck founded Rocket Lab in New Zealand in 2006 with the goal of making space more accessible through small, affordable rockets. The company developed the Electron rocket, achieving first orbital flight in January 2018. Rocket Lab became the first private company to reach orbit from the Southern Hemisphere.
The company pioneered electric-pump-fed rocket engines with the Rutherford engine, using 3D-printed components and electric motors instead of traditional turbopumps. This innovation reduced engine complexity and cost while maintaining performance. Electron has since completed over 50 launches with a strong success rate.
In 2020, Rocket Lab successfully recovered an Electron first stage for the first time using parachute and helicopter capture, demonstrating a path to reusability. The company expanded into spacecraft manufacturing through the acquisition of Sinclair Interplanetary, Advanced Solutions Inc., and Planetary Systems Corporation, becoming a vertically integrated space company.
Products and Services
Electron is Rocket Lab's workhorse small satellite launcher, capable of delivering 300 kg to low Earth orbit from launch sites in New Zealand and Virginia. The rocket uses nine Rutherford engines on its first stage and a single vacuum-optimized Rutherford on the second stage. Electron launches are priced at approximately $7.5 million.
Neutron is Rocket Lab's medium-lift reusable rocket currently in development, designed to carry 13,000 kg to low Earth orbit. The rocket features an innovative wide-body design with a reusable first stage landing on the launch pad rather than at sea. Neutron targets constellation deployment, cargo resupply, and potentially crewed missions.
Rocket Lab's Space Systems division manufactures Photon spacecraft, providing satellite buses for customers who want turnkey solutions. Photon supports missions from low Earth orbit to interplanetary trajectories, including NASA's CAPSTONE lunar mission. The company also supplies spacecraft components to other manufacturers.
Technology and Capabilities
The Rutherford engine represents a significant advancement in small rocket propulsion, using electric pumps powered by lithium polymer batteries instead of gas generators or turbopumps. This approach simplifies the engine, enables high-performance 3D printing of major components, and provides precise throttle control for landing attempts.
Rocket Lab operates the only private orbital launch complex in the Southern Hemisphere at Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand, providing unique launch geometry for polar and sun-synchronous orbits. The company's second launch complex at Wallops Island, Virginia, serves U.S. government and commercial customers requiring domestic launch.
The Photon spacecraft bus provides integrated power, propulsion, attitude control, and communications for customer payloads, significantly reducing time to orbit for small satellite missions. Rocket Lab's spacecraft manufacturing capabilities include solar panels, reaction wheels, star trackers, and software, enabling rapid satellite production.
Business and Financial Overview
Rocket Lab trades publicly on NASDAQ (RKLB) with a market capitalization that has varied between $2-6 billion since its 2021 debut. The company generates revenue from launch services, spacecraft manufacturing, and component sales, with launch and space systems representing roughly equal revenue contributions.
The company holds multiple NASA contracts including the Electron Launch Services Contract, spacecraft development for the Mars Sample Return mission, and various technology development awards. Rocket Lab also serves commercial constellation operators, defense customers, and civil space agencies worldwide.
Rocket Lab has raised substantial capital through its public listing and subsequent offerings, investing in Neutron development, manufacturing expansion, and strategic acquisitions. The company targets profitability as launch cadence increases and Neutron becomes operational.
Recent Developments
In 2024, Rocket Lab achieved record launch cadence with multiple Electron missions per month, demonstrating manufacturing scalability. The company continued Neutron development, revealing detailed vehicle specifications and beginning construction of dedicated production facilities in Virginia.
Rocket Lab successfully recovered additional Electron boosters via mid-air helicopter capture, advancing toward operational reuse. The company's Space Systems division delivered multiple spacecraft for commercial and government customers, growing its backlog of satellite manufacturing orders.
The company expanded its component manufacturing business, supplying reaction wheels, solar panels, and other subsystems to external satellite manufacturers. Rocket Lab also advanced its deep space capabilities, supporting NASA's Mars exploration programs and commercial lunar mission customers.
Market Position
Rocket Lab leads the small satellite launch market, competing primarily with SpaceX rideshare services and emerging small launch providers. The company's reliable track record and dedicated launch service commands premium pricing compared to rideshare alternatives, serving customers requiring specific orbits or timing.
Key competitors include SpaceX for all launch segments, Virgin Orbit (now defunct), Relativity Space, and international providers. In spacecraft manufacturing, Rocket Lab competes with Terran Orbital, AAC Clyde Space, and traditional satellite primes for small to medium satellite programs.
Rocket Lab's competitive advantages include proven launch reliability, rapid cadence capability, vertical integration, and a clear path to medium-lift with Neutron. The company's expansion from launch to full space systems differentiates it from pure-play launch providers.
Products and product lines
| Product | Line | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Electron | Launch vehicle | Small-lift rocket; Rocket Lab had completed 75 successful orbital missions and deployed over 200 spacecraft as of 31 December 2025. |
| Neutron | Launch vehicle (in development) | 43-meter, reusable medium-lift rocket targeting at least 13,000 kg to LEO; a first-stage tank rupture in a January 2026 pressure test pushed the debut to late 2026, with Stage 1 production aligned toward Q4 2026 pad delivery as of August 2026. |
| Photon | Spacecraft bus | Satellite platform supporting missions from LEO to interplanetary trajectories. |
| Geost EO/IR sensor payloads | Satellite payloads | Electro-optical/infrared sensors for missile warning, tracking and space domain awareness, added via Rocket Lab's $275 million acquisition of Geost (announced May 2025). |
| Mynaric optical communication terminals (CONDOR Mk3) | Satellite components | Laser inter-satellite communication terminals acquired with Rocket Lab's $155.3 million purchase of Mynaric, closed April 2026; already used on 36 satellites for the Space Development Agency's Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture. |
| Pioneer spacecraft / responsive-space operations | Defense / rendezvous and proximity operations | Rapid-response spacecraft platform that flew the U.S. Space Force's Victus Haze mission in June 2026, launching just 16 hours 42 minutes after call-up. |
Timeline
- 2025 Rocket Lab announces on 27 May a $275 million acquisition of Geost, a maker of EO/IR sensor payloads for U.S. missile-warning and space-surveillance satellites. [source]
- 2025 The Space Development Agency awards Rocket Lab $805 million on 19 December to build 18 Tranche 3 Tracking Layer missile-tracking satellites — the company's largest single contract to date. [source]
- 2026 Neutron's first-stage fuel tank ruptures unexpectedly during a hydrostatic pressure test on 21 January, pushing the rocket's planned debut from mid-2026 to late 2026. [source]
- 2026 Rocket Lab closes its acquisition of Mynaric on 14 April for $155.3 million (above the original terms), adding CONDOR Mk3 laser optical-communication terminals to its Space Systems portfolio. [source]
- 2026 Rocket Lab books a 5-Neutron/3-Electron launch deal with an undisclosed customer on 7 May, its largest launch contract to date, while continuing to target a late-2026 Neutron debut. [source]
- 2026 Rocket Lab launches the U.S. Space Force's Victus Haze tactically-responsive space mission on 19 June, just 16 hours 42 minutes after call-up — a new responsive-space record, beating Firefly's 2023 Victus Nox mission. [source]
- 2026 Rocket Lab posts record Q2 2026 results on 10 August: revenue of $234 million (+62% YoY) and backlog of $2.36 billion (+137% YoY), while reaffirming Neutron Stage 1 tank production is aligned with Q4 2026 pad delivery. [source]
- 2026 Rocket Lab agrees on 29 June to acquire Iridium Communications at an enterprise value of about $8 billion, with closing expected in mid-2027. [source]
Key People
Peter Beck (Founder, CEO)
Funding history
1 event · $780M raised| Date | Round | Amount | Investors | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-08-25 | SPAC | $777M | Vector Acquisition CorpBlackRockSPAC merger with Vector Acquisition Corp | rocketlabusa.com |
Investors
BlackRockVector Acquisition Corp
From the sourced rounds above. Investors with two or more deals in the directory link to a portfolio page.
Team
- Peter BeckFounder · source
Signals
- Market cap, 90 days
- -38.5%
- Launch vehicles
- Electron
- Verification
- Verified 2026-09-09
Categories & Capabilities
Industry Categories
Vehicle Types
Small Lift Medium Lift Reusable
Propulsion Systems
Kerosene Rp1 Liquid Methane
Latest from Agency Feeds
6 mentions across NASA, ESA, JAXA, ISRO, JPL & SpaceX
Rocket Lab
Rocket Lab Introduces High-Efficiency Solar Cell to Reduce Reliance on Supply-Constrained Critical Minerals
Rocket Lab
MISSION SUCCESS: Rocket Lab Launches 94th Electron Mission
Rocket Lab
MISSION SUCCESS: Rocket Lab Launches 93rd Electron Mission
Rocket Lab
Powering the EMILIA-3D Lunar Mission with Proven Space Robotics
Rocket Lab
Rocket Lab Onboarded to U.S. Space Force's $981M NITE-STAR Program to Advance Space Test and Training Infrastructure
Auto-matched by name from primary national-agency RSS feeds. See full live feed →
Stock Performance
RKLB · Daily close data
Funding
Total Raised
$780M
Market Cap
$40.3B
Links
Location
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Frequently asked about Rocket Lab
Quick answers to the questions readers most often search for.
- When was Rocket Lab founded?
- Rocket Lab was founded in 2006 in United States.
- Where is Rocket Lab headquartered?
- Rocket Lab is headquartered in Long Beach, United States.
- What does Rocket Lab do?
- Rocket Lab is a leading aerospace company providing end-to-end space solutions including launch services, spacecraft manufacturing, and on-orbit operations. Founded in 2006 by Peter Beck in New Zealand and now headquartered in Long Beach, California, the company has established itself as the second most frequently laun…
- Is Rocket Lab publicly traded?
- Yes. Rocket Lab trades under the ticker RKLB on NasdaqGS.
- What sector does Rocket Lab operate in?
- Rocket Lab works in launch services, Satellite manufacturing and Spacecraft, plus 4 other space-industry sectors.
Sources
The structured fields on this page (founding year, location, sector, status, listing) and the profile text are drawn from the sources below. How profiles are drafted and checked is described in our methodology.
- Official website (rocketlabcorp.com)
- Market data via Yahoo Finance (RKLB) · retrieved 2026-09-14
- Wikidata / Wikipedia · retrieved 2026-09-04
- SEC 10-K · retrieved 2026-09-04
- Merged duplicate entry rocketlab-photon · retrieved 2026-09-05
- Merged duplicate entry rocketlab-rutherford · retrieved 2026-09-05
- GLEIF LEI record · retrieved 2026-09-05
- SpaceNews: Rocket Lab to acquire satellite payload manufacturer Geost for $275 million · retrieved 2026-09-06
- Space Development Agency: SDA Makes Awards to Build 72 Tracking Layer Satellites for Tranche 3 (19 Dec 2025) · retrieved 2026-09-06
- Spaceflight Now: Window for 2026 launch debut of Rocket Lab's Neutron rocket 'is narrowing' (10 Aug 2026) · retrieved 2026-09-06
- Via Satellite: Rocket Lab Closes Mynaric Acquisition at Higher Price Than Originally Agreed (14 Apr 2026) · retrieved 2026-09-06
- Spaceflight Now: Rocket Lab announces five-launch Neutron deal as it continues aiming for late 2026 debut (7 May 2026) · retrieved 2026-09-06
- Via Satellite: Rocket Lab Launches Responsive Victus Haze Mission for Space Force (22 Jun 2026) · retrieved 2026-09-06
- GlobeNewswire: Rocket Lab Announces Second Quarter 2026 Financial Results (10 Aug 2026) · retrieved 2026-09-06
- Iridium/Rocket Lab acquisition announcement (29 Jun 2026) · retrieved 2026-09-09
- Funding: SPAC merger with Vector Acquisition Corp (2021-08-25) · retrieved 2026-09-04
Data Accuracy Notice: Information about Rocket Lab is compiled from publicly available sources including company websites, press releases, regulatory filings, and industry reports. Data is reviewed periodically but may not reflect the most recent developments.
Matched to SEC EDGAR, LEI register, Wikidata · data pass September 9, 2026
Editorial owner: Dr. Donovan, Editor-in-Chief Company representatives may submit corrections • This page does not constitute an endorsement or affiliation • Learn about our data methodology