When was Rocket Lab founded compared to Planet Labs?

Rocket Lab was founded in 2006, and Planet Labs was founded in 2010.

Where are Rocket Lab and Planet Labs headquartered?

Rocket Lab is headquartered in Long Beach; Planet Labs is headquartered in San Francisco.

Head-to-head · 2026

Rocket Lab vs Planet Labs

Two public-traded pure-play space stocks (RKLB vs PL): launch vs Earth observation business models.

Side by side

Attribute	Rocket Lab	Planet Labs
Founded	2006	2010
Headquarters	Long Beach, United States	San Francisco, United States
Entity type	commercial	commercial
Operational status	public	public
Stock ticker	RKLB	PL
Sectors	launch-services, satellite-manufacturing, spacecraft	earth-observation, satellite-manufacturing
Vehicle type	small-lift, medium-lift, reusable	—
Significant people	Peter Beck (Founder, CEO)	Will Marshall (CEO, Co-founder)

What each one does

Rocket Lab

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.

Full Rocket Lab profile

Planet Labs

Planet Labs PBC is a leading Earth observation company operating the largest fleet of Earth-imaging satellites ever deployed. Founded in 2010 by former NASA scientists, Planet provides geospatial data that enables governments, businesses, and NGOs to make more informed decisions about our changing planet. Headquartered in San Francisco, the company images the entire Earth land mass daily. Planet trades on NYSE under PL following its 2021 SPAC merger. The company employs approximately 800 people and operates facilities in California, Colorado, and internationally. Under CEO Will Marshall (co-founder), Planet has grown from a three-person startup to a publicly traded company generating over $200 million in annual revenue. ## History and Milestones Will Marshall, Robbie Schingler, and Chris Boshuizen founded Planet Labs in 2010 while working at NASA Ames Research Center. The founders believed miniaturized satellites could democratize access to Earth observation data. The company pioneered the use of CubeSats for commercial Earth imaging. Planet launched its first commercial satellites in 2013 and rapidly expanded its constellation. Through organic growth and acquisitions—including BlackBridge (RapidEye satellites), Terra Bella (Google's satellite imaging unit), and Boundless—Planet built comprehensive Earth observation capabilities. By 2017, Planet achieved its goal of imaging the entire Earth every day. This "Planet Basemap" provides consistent, current imagery for change detection and monitoring applications across industries. ## Products and Services Planet operates three satellite constellations: Dove (over 200 CubeSats providing daily global coverage), SkySat (high-resolution tasking satellites), and Pelican (next-generation high-resolution satellites). Together, these constellations provide imagery from 3-meter daily to 50-centimeter tasking resolution. Planet Archive offers access to historical imagery dating back over a decade, enabling change analysis over time. Planet Monitoring provides automated analytics and change detection for specific areas of interest. The company serves customers across agriculture (crop monitoring), government (defense and intelligence), forestry (deforestation tracking), energy (infrastructure monitoring), and finance (economic activity analysis). Planet's APIs enable integration into customer workflows and applications. ## Technology and Capabilities Planet pioneered the use of CubeSats for commercial imaging, developing standardized small satellites that can be rapidly manufactured and frequently replaced. This approach enables continuous constellation refresh with improved technology while maintaining persistent coverage. The company operates one of the world's largest collections of Earth observation data, processing petabytes of imagery daily. Planet's platform includes machine learning tools for automated analysis, change detection, and feature extraction. Planet's data infrastructure delivers imagery and analytics through APIs, integrating with customer systems and third-party platforms. The company partners with cloud providers for global data distribution and processing capabilities. ## Business and Financial Overview Planet went public through a SPAC merger in December 2021, raising approximately $500 million. The company generates revenue from data subscriptions, with annual recurring revenue exceeding $200 million. Government and defense customers represent a significant portion of revenue. Major contracts include the National Reconnaissance Office's commercial imagery agreements, defense and intelligence customer subscriptions, and commercial enterprise agreements. Planet also serves the European Space Agency and international government customers. The company has invested heavily in next-generation satellite development and data platform capabilities. Path to profitability depends on growing subscription revenue while managing satellite constellation costs and technology investments. ## Recent Developments In 2024, Planet continued expanding its satellite constellation and customer base while advancing next-generation satellite development. The company launched additional Pelican high-resolution satellites, enhancing tasking capabilities. Planet deepened government relationships, securing contract extensions and new customer wins. The company also expanded commercial applications and analytics capabilities, supporting customers across multiple industries. Development continued on Pelican, Planet's next-generation satellite platform offering sub-meter resolution. The company also invested in data processing and analytics tools to extract more value from its imagery archive. ## Market Position Planet is the largest commercial operator of Earth observation satellites by number of spacecraft. The company competes with Maxar Technologies, BlackSky, and emerging satellite imaging companies for government and commercial customers. Planet's competitive advantages include the world's only daily global imaging capability, extensive historical archive, and flexible resolution options from constellation to tasking. The company's CubeSat approach enables rapid technology refresh. Strategic priorities include growing government and commercial revenue, expanding analytics capabilities, and deploying next-generation Pelican satellites. Planet aims to make global change visible, accessible, and actionable.

Full Planet Labs profile