Overview
Rocket Lab, founded by Peter Beck in New Zealand in 2006 and now headquartered in Long Beach, California, has grown from a small-satellite launch startup into a vertically integrated space company. The company went public via SPAC in 2021 and, as of early 2026, operates the world's third most frequently launched orbital rocket — Electron — behind only Falcon 9 and China's Long March series. Rocket Lab's strategy mirrors SpaceX's vertical integration model, combining launch services with spacecraft manufacturing and mission operations.
Electron Launch Vehicle
Electron is a two-stage, carbon-composite rocket powered by nine Rutherford engines — the first production engines to use electric-pump-fed cycles. Standing 18 metres tall, it delivers approximately 300 kg to low Earth orbit at a mission cost of roughly $7.5 million. Electron launches from both Rocket Lab's private Launch Complex 1 on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand and LC-2 at NASA Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. The company has recovered boosters via mid-air helicopter catch and ocean splashdown, with the aim of reflying refurbished first stages to increase launch cadence. See the launch schedule for upcoming Electron missions.
Neutron Medium-Lift Rocket
Neutron is Rocket Lab's medium-lift rocket currently in development, targeting first launch in 2025–2026. Designed for reusability from inception, it will carry approximately 13,000 kg to LEO using a novel "Hungry Hippo" fairing design integrated into the first stage. Neutron targets the constellation deployment market, national security space (NSSP) missions, and potentially crewed spaceflight. It will be powered by the Archimedes engine, Rocket Lab's first internally developed gas-generator engine running on methane and liquid oxygen — the same propellant combination used by Starship's Raptor engines.
Spacecraft & Components
Rocket Lab is increasingly a spacecraft manufacturer as well as a launch provider. Its Photon satellite bus has flown missions for NASA (the CAPSTONE lunar pathfinder mission) and commercial customers. The company manufactures reaction wheels, star trackers, flight software, solar panels, and separation systems — many acquired through strategic purchases (Sinclair Interplanetary, Planetary Systems, SolAero). This vertical integration positions Rocket Lab as an end-to-end space services provider capable of building, launching, and operating satellites — competing with SpaceX at a smaller scale.
Key Customers & Operator Relationships
Rocket Lab has launched satellites for many of the world's leading operators. Planet Labs has been a frequent Electron customer for SuperDove deployments. BlackSky has launched Gen-2 imaging satellites on Electron. Spire Global uses Electron for LEMUR nanosatellite rideshare missions. Rocket Lab also launched the Globalstar next-gen satellite prototypes under the Apple partnership. The company competes with SpaceX's Falcon 9 rideshare programme for small satellite launch contracts, while Neutron will target the medium-lift segment dominated by Falcon 9. See the operator rankings for the customers Rocket Lab serves.
HASTE & Defence
HASTE (Hypersonic Accelerator Suborbital Test Electron) is a suborbital variant of Electron developed for the US Department of Defense's hypersonic testing programme. It uses a modified Electron first stage to accelerate hypersonic payloads to high Mach numbers at a fraction of the cost of traditional test infrastructure. Rocket Lab's growing defence portfolio also includes the acquisition of SolAero Technologies (space solar cells) and partnerships with the Space Development Agency (SDA) for LEO transport and tracking layer satellites.