Rocket Lab wins US$266 million Space Force contract, stock price rises 3.4%
Rocket Lab announced on Monday that it has signed a multi-launch contract worth $266 million with the U.S. Space Force, the largest single launch contract the company has received to date. Boosted by the news, the company's stock price rose 3.4% late on Monday. The contract, awarded by the Space Force Space Systems Command's Rocket Systems Launch Program, covers 12 suborbital launches and includes options for up to six additional launches. The first launch is expected to take place no earlier than the end of 2026. "Launch cadence, iteration and relentless execution are critical to improving U.S. missile defense capabilities, and that's what our leadership in launch brings," said Rocket Lab CEO Sir Peter Baker. He noted that the size of this contract reflects the Space Force's confidence in the company's ability to respond quickly and at scale to meet urgent national security needs. The majority of launches will take place from the Pacific Spaceport complex in Kodiak, Alaska, which will be Rocket Lab's fourth launch site, complementing its existing facilities in New Zealand and Virginia. This contract award further solidifies Rocket Lab’s position as a key partner in U.S. national security space missions. Previously, the company had received an $816 million satellite design and construction contract from the Pentagon. Currently, Rocket Lab is developing a larger Neutron rocket, which is scheduled to launch for the first time at the end of the year and will compete directly with SpaceX's Falcon 9.