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Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) (“Rocket Lab” or “the Company”), a global leader in launch services and space systems, today announced it has signed a multi-launch agreement with a confidential commercial satellite constellation operator for its new medium-lift rocket Neutron.

Under the contract, Rocket Lab will launch two dedicated missions on Neutron starting from mid-2026. The missions will launch from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 3 on Wallops Island, Virginia. The launch service agreement for these missions signifies the beginning of a productive collaboration that could see Neutron deploy the entire constellation.

Neutron is strongly positioned to capitalize on the medium-lift launch requirements for future commercial and government missions, with more than 10,000 satellites projected to need launch services by 2030 in a total addressable market valued at approximately ~$10 billion*. Neutron’s expected debut launch in 2025 also puts the launch vehicle in a strong position to on-ramp onto the U.S. Government’s National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Lane 1 program, an indefinite delivery indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract valued at $5.6 billion over a five-year period. RFPs for the program opened on October 30th 2024 with approved new launch vehicles to be on-ramped to the program in Spring 2025. The NSSL Lane 1 program is designed by the U.S. Space Force to build up a reliable domestic industrial base of commercial launch vehicles to serve national security missions. If on-ramped in 2025, Rocket Lab would be only the fourth launch provider accepted into the program. Neutron is also eligible to compete for missions under the United States Space Force’s OSP-4 program, a separate $986m IDIQ contract.

Launch Update 🚀

Lift-off for the 3rd of 5 dedicated Electron launches to deploy Kineis IoT constellation is now scheduled for:

NZT: 24 Nov, 4:55pm
PT: 23 Nov, 7:55 pm
ET: 23 Nov, 10:55 pm
UTC: 24 Nov, 03:55 am

Mission success.

2 launches in less than 24 hours from 2 pads in 2 different hemispheres.

Mahia, New Zealand. November 25, 2024. – Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) (“Rocket Lab” or “the Company”), a global leader in launch services and space systems, today successfully launched its 56th Electron mission, deploying five satellites to Low Earth Orbit for French Internet-of-Things (IoT) constellation operator Kinéis.
The ‘Ice AIS Baby’ mission lifted-off from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand at 4:55 pm on 25 November NZDT (03:55 UTC), successfully deploying five satellites to a 643 km low Earth orbit. The mission was Rocket Lab’s 14th mission of 2024 and 56th launch overall. It also brought the total count of satellites deployed by Rocket Lab to 203, further cementing Electron’s position as the leading small launch vehicle globally. The launch took place just 21 hours and 55 minutes after Rocket Lab completed a successful mission from Launch Complex 2 in Virginia, setting a new company record for fastest turnaround between launches.
Rocket Lab founder and CEO Sir Peter Beck said: “Two successful launches less than 24 hours apart from pads in different hemispheres. That’s unprecedented capability in the small launch market and one we’re immensely proud to deliver at Rocket Lab. Customers like Kinéis are unlocking the potential of space and we’re excited to give them the keys to do so with frequent, dedicated, and reliable small launch opportunities.”

Kinéis CEO Alexandre Tisserant, says: "The Kinéis teams have once again demonstrated their technical capabilities as satellite operators by taking control of these five new satellites at a sustained launch rate. This achievement would not have been possible without Rocket Lab's Electron precision in placing our satellites in their planned positions. With 15 Kinéis satellites now in orbit, we're one step closer to the full deployment of our dedicated IoT constellation for transmitting data in near-real time, anywhere on the globe. Congratulations to all our teams, who are doing an incredible job - and, let's not forget, a European first! We're equally enthusiastic about our second mission, AIS. In a rapidly consolidating market, Kinéis is establishing itself as a sovereign European player, combining technological expertise and strategic independence. With our new AIS offering, we provide maritime players with enhanced visibility over their fleets, while ensuring higher data reliability."
The ‘Ice AIS Baby’ mission was the third of five dedicated Electron launches for Kinéis, a company backed by private and public investors including the French government’s space agency CNES (Centre National d'Études Spatiales) and CLS (Collecte Localisation Satellites), an international space-based solutions provider, to improve global IoT connectivity. The Kinéis constellation is designed to make it possible to connect and locate any connected object anywhere in the world, enabling data transmission to users in near-real time, at low bit rates and with very low energy consumption. By enabling internet connection to the Earth’s most remote locations, Kinéis constellation can support forest fire detection, water resource management, infrastructure and energy network monitoring, transport and logistics tracking, and much more.

Launch images: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBSWqi

Launch webcast: www.youtube.com/live/i081vyh3WO0?si=qfXyY5ejvJZwscP0

Big news! We now formally signed a $23.9M award from U.S. Commerce Dept under the CHIPS and Science Act. The funding will boost our manufacturing capabilities at our New Mexico facility to scale semiconductor production to meet the U.S. rapidly growing demand.

Our space-grade solar cells power satellites that require high reliability and optimum performance in extreme environments, powering innovation on Earth and beyond! 🚀