New Zealand and American public spaceflight company
Rocket Lab USA, Inc. is a publicly traded aerospace manufacturer and launch service provider [7] that operates and launches lightweight Electron orbital rockets [7] used to provide dedicated launch services for small satellites [8] as well as a suborbital variant of Electron called HASTE (Hypersonic Accelerator Suborbital Test Electron).[9] The company plans to build a larger Neutron rocket[10] as early as 2024.[11] Electron rockets have launched to orbit 46 times from either Rocket Lab's Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand[7] or at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport in Wallops Island , Virginia, United States.[12] Rocket Lab has launched one sub-orbital HASTE rocket to date from Wallops Island, Virginia.[13]
In addition to the Electron, Neutron, and HASTE launch vehicles, Rocket Lab manufactures and operates spacecraft and is a supplier of satellite components including star trackers , reaction wheels , solar cells and arrays , satellite radios , separation systems, as well as flight and ground software.[14]
The company was founded in New Zealand in 2006.[15] By 2009,[16] the successful launch of Ātea-1[16] made the organization the first private company in the Southern Hemisphere to reach space .[15] The company established headquarters in California , US in 2013[17] and developed the expendable [18] Electron rocket .[19] The first launch of the rocket took place in May 2017.[20] In August 2021, the company became a public company , listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange through a SPAC merger.[21] In May 2022, after four years of development, the Electron booster attempted recovery by a helicopter.[22] In 2024, the company announced that a first stage booster that was recovered on an earlier launch will be reused on a future launch, marking the first time Electron would reuse the full first stage.[23] In August 2020 the company launched its first in-house designed and built satellite, Photon.[24]
The company also builds and operates satellites for the Space Development Agency ,[25] [26] a space-based missile defense program of the United States Space Force established by Michael D. Griffin (who later became a Rocket Lab board member) in his role as Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering during the Trump administration.[27] [28] The company's participation drew controversy in New Zealand,[29] where members of parliament noted the company is contributing to the "weaponization of space" and could be in violation of New Zealand's nuclear-free zone laws.[30] The Union of Concerned Scientists warns SDA will escalate global tensions and called the project "fundamentally destabilizing".[31]
Rocket Lab has acquired four companies to expand its space systems offering including Sinclair Interplanetary in April 2020,[32] Advanced Solutions Inc. in December 2021,[33] SolAero Holdings Inc in January 2022,[34] and Planetary Systems Corporation in December 2021.[35]
As of December 2023, the company had approximately 1,650 full time permanent employees globally.[36] Approximately 700 of these employees are based in New Zealand with the remainder in the United States.[37] The acquisition of SolAero added 425 staff members in the United States in January 2022.[38] [39]
Two attempts have been made to recover an Electron booster by helicopter.[22] [40] In addition, six attempts have been made at soft water recovery .[41] [42] [43] [44] [45] [46] As of 2022, the company is developing the bigger Neutron reusable unibody rocket ;[11] multiple spacecraft buses,[47] and rocket engines : Rutherford ,[48] Curie ,[49] HyperCurie ,[50] and Archimedes .[51]
^ "Rocket Lab Celebrates Rich Ten-Year History" . Rocket Lab. 2016. Archived from the original on 21 April 2017. Retrieved 22 May 2017 .
^ Masunaga, Samantha (21 March 2017). "Rocket Lab moves headquarters from Los Angeles to Huntington Beach" . Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on 29 March 2019. Retrieved 29 June 2019 .
^ https://companiesmarketcap.com/rocket-lab-usa/total-assets/
^ https://www.macrotrends.net/stocks/charts/RKLB/rocket-lab-usa/number-of-employees
^ "Rocket Lab USA Inc. 2022 Annual Report (Form 10-K)" . U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission . 7 March 2023. Archived from the original on 11 March 2023. Retrieved 11 March 2023 .
^ https://finance.yahoo.com/news/rocket-lab-usa-inc-rklb-213747433.html
^ a b c "New Zealand Launch Schedule [Including Past Launches] - RocketLaunch.Live" . www.rocketlaunch.live . Archived from the original on 8 December 2022. Retrieved 8 December 2022 .
^ "IAF : B4.5 Speed To Space: Dedicated Launch For Small Satellites on Electron" . www.iafastro.org . Archived from the original on 8 December 2022. Retrieved 8 December 2022 .
^ "Rocket Lab Introduces Suborbital Testbed Rocket, Selected for Hypersonic Test Flights" . Rocket Lab . Retrieved 18 March 2024 .
^ "Neutron" . Rocket Lab . Archived from the original on 15 January 2022. Retrieved 8 December 2022 .
^ a b Roulette, Joey (30 September 2022). "Rocket Lab to fire up first tests of new engine next year - CEO" . Reuters . Archived from the original on 8 December 2022. Retrieved 8 December 2022 .
^ Mehta, Aaron (7 December 2022). "New Zealand's Rocket Lab prepares for first launch from US, as it eyes national security growth" . Breaking Defense . Retrieved 8 December 2022 .
^ Foust, Jeff (18 June 2023). "Rocket Lab launches first suborbital version of Electron" . SpaceNews . Retrieved 18 March 2024 .
^ "Rocket Lab Makes its Defense Prime Debut with $0.5 Billion Contract to Design and Build Satellite Constellation for Space Development Agency" . Rocket Lab . Retrieved 18 March 2024 .
^ a b "Rocket Lab USA Poised to Change the Space Industry" . Rocket Lab . Archived from the original on 8 December 2022. Retrieved 8 December 2022 .
^ a b "Ä€tea-1" . Gunter's Space Page . Archived from the original on 6 August 2020. Retrieved 8 December 2022 .
^ "Rocket Lab Expands Footprint with New Long Beach Headquarters and Production Complex" . Rocket Lab . Archived from the original on 8 December 2022. Retrieved 8 December 2022 .
^ Wall, Mike (4 November 2022). "Rocket Lab launches Swedish satellite but fails to catch booster with helicopter" . Space.com . Archived from the original on 8 December 2022. Retrieved 8 December 2022 .
^ "Electron" . Rocket Lab . Archived from the original on 9 December 2022. Retrieved 8 December 2022 .
^ "Completed Missions" . Rocket Lab . Archived from the original on 26 May 2019. Retrieved 8 December 2022 .
^ "Rocket Lab Completes Merger with Vector Acquisition Corporation to Become Publicly Traded End-to-End Space Company" . Rocket Lab . Archived from the original on 8 December 2022. Retrieved 8 December 2022 .
^ a b "Rocket Maker Fails in 1st Bid to Catch, Recover Booster With Helicopter | Aerospace Tech Review" . www.aerospacetechreview.com . 3 May 2022. Archived from the original on 8 December 2022. Retrieved 8 December 2022 .
^ "Rocket Lab Returns Previously Flown Electron to Production Line in Preparation for First Reflight" . www.businesswire.com . 10 April 2024. Retrieved 11 April 2024 .
^ Foust, Jeff (4 September 2020). "Rocket Lab launches first Photon satellite" . SpaceNews . Retrieved 18 March 2024 .
^ "Rocket Lab wins $515 million contract to build 18 satellites for U.S. government agency" . 23 December 2023. Retrieved 23 December 2023 .
^ "Rocket Lab Supports Significant Milestone for DARPA and Space Development Agency" . 13 July 2022. Archived from the original on 17 October 2022. Retrieved 17 October 2022 .
^ Erwin, Sandra (21 April 2019). "Space Development Agency a huge win for Griffin in his war against the status quo" . Retrieved 17 October 2022 .
^ Foust, Jeff (12 August 2018). "Mike Griffin joins board of Rocket Lab" . Retrieved 17 October 2022 .
^ "Rocket Lab could be used to make war from space - Green Party" . RNZ . 16 October 2022. Archived from the original on 8 December 2022. Retrieved 8 December 2022 .
^ Corlett, Eva (17 October 2022). "New Zealand MP says Rocket Lab launches could betray country's anti-nuclear stance" . TheGuardian.com . Archived from the original on 17 October 2022. Retrieved 17 October 2022 .
^ "Space-based Missile Defense" . Union of Concerned Scientists. 30 August 2018. Archived from the original on 17 October 2022. Retrieved 17 October 2022 .
^ "Rocket Lab Closes Acquisition of Satellite Hardware Manufacturer Sinclair Interplanetary" . Rocket Lab . Retrieved 18 March 2024 .
^ "Rocket Lab Acquires Space Software Company Advanced Solutions, Inc" . Rocket Lab . Retrieved 18 March 2024 .
^ "Rocket Lab Closes Acquisition of Space Solar Power Products Company SolAero Holdings, Inc" . Rocket Lab . Retrieved 18 March 2024 .
^ "Rocket Lab Closes Acquisition Of Space Hardware Company Planetary Systems Corporation" . Rocket Lab . Retrieved 18 March 2024 .
^ "XBRL Viewer" . www.sec.gov . Retrieved 18 March 2024 .
^ "The Post" . www.thepost.co.nz . Retrieved 18 March 2024 .
^ Bellan, Rebecca (18 January 2022). "Rocket Lab acquires SolAero Holdings for $80M to boost space solar cell production" . TechCrunch . Archived from the original on 11 March 2023. Retrieved 11 March 2023 .
^ Pullar-Strecker, Tom (14 December 2021). "Most Rocket Lab staff set to be based outside NZ by early next year" . Stuff . Archived from the original on 26 January 2023. Retrieved 26 January 2023 .
^ "Rocket Lab Helicopter Was Unable to Catch Booster Before it Fell Into The Pacific" . Bloomberg.com . 4 November 2022. Archived from the original on 4 November 2022. Retrieved 8 December 2022 .
^ "Launch Schedule – Spaceflight Now" . Archived from the original on 16 August 2018. Retrieved 5 April 2023 .
^ "Rocket Lab to Recover Electron Booster on Next Mission" . Rocket Lab . Archived from the original on 5 April 2023. Retrieved 5 April 2023 .
^ "Rocket Lab to Recover Electron Rocket, Introduce Helicopter Operations During Next Launch" . Rocket Lab . Archived from the original on 5 April 2023. Retrieved 5 April 2023 .
^ Foust, Jeff (24 March 2023). "Rocket Lab launches BlackSky satellites" . SpaceNews . Retrieved 5 April 2023 .
^ Foust, Jeff (13 July 2023). "Rocket Lab takes another step towards reusability on next Electron launch" . SpaceNews . Retrieved 28 April 2024 .
^ Jones, Caleb. "Electron | We Love the Nightlife (Capella Acadia 1)" . Space Launch Now . Retrieved 28 April 2024 .
^ "Rocket Lab Unveils Spacecraft Bus Lineup" . Rocket Lab . Retrieved 18 March 2024 .
^ "Rutherford Engine Test Fire" . Rocket Lab . Archived from the original on 8 December 2022. Retrieved 8 December 2022 .
^ "The Kick Stage: Responsible Orbital Deployment" . Rocket Lab . Archived from the original on 8 December 2022. Retrieved 8 December 2022 .
^ Etherington, Darrell (13 May 2020). "Rocket Lab tests new hyperCurie engine that will power its deep space delivery vehicle" . TechCrunch . Archived from the original on 10 November 2022. Retrieved 8 December 2022 .
^ Gebhardt, Chris (2 December 2021). "Neutron switches to methane/oxygen, 1 Meganewton Archimedes engine revealed" . NASASpaceFlight.com . Archived from the original on 2 December 2021. Retrieved 8 December 2022 .