- CEO
- Sir Peter Beck
- Full Time Employees
- 2,100
- Sector
- Industrials
- Industry
- Aerospace & Defense
- Address
- 3881 McGowen Street Long Beach CA United States of America 90808
- IPO Date
- Nov 24, 2020
- Business
- Rocket Lab USA, Inc. is a space systems company specializing in the design, manufacture, and launch of rockets and spacecraft for commercial, aerospace prime contractor, and government customers. The company’s product portfolio includes the Electron orbital small launch vehicle; Rutherford, Archimedes, Curie, and HyperCurie rocket engines; the Photon satellite bus family; and the Neutron large reusable rocket under development. Rocket Lab also designs and produces spacecraft components and subsystems, such as satellite separation systems, space solar power products, and electro-optical sensor systems. Founded in 2006 and headquartered in Long Beach, California, Rocket Lab operates across the United States, Canada, and New Zealand, serving markets that span Earth orbit, interplanetary missions, and national security applications.
Recent major company developments include the strategic acquisition of several firms: Advanced Solutions Inc., a spacecraft flight software company; Planetary Systems Corporation, a manufacturer of satellite separation systems; SolAero, a supplier of space solar power products; and Geost LLC, an electro-optical and infrared sensor systems developer for U.S. national security space missions. In 2023, Rocket Lab inaugurated its Engine Development Center in Long Beach for producing key rocket engines and announced plans to establish a Space Structures Complex in Maryland to advance composite product manufacturing and vertically integrate supply chains for its launch vehicles and spacecraft. The company has also expanded its U.S. investments significantly, with support from a $23.9 million U.S. government grant aimed at bolstering domestic production of space-grade compound semiconductors and electro-optical sensors critical to satellite and spacecraft manufacturing.
Rocket Lab provides end-to-end space systems capabilities that encompass reliable launch services using its Electron and eventually Neutron rockets, complete spacecraft design and manufacturing, specialized satellite components, and advanced space-grade sensor payloads. The company’s customer base includes commercial satellite operators, government space agencies, and national security programs such as the U.S. Space Force and defense initiatives including the Golden Dome and Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture. Rocket Lab’s strategic focus on innovation and vertical integration enables it to accelerate satellite system deployments and enhance U.S. leadership in space technology.
In summary, Rocket Lab USA, Inc. is a vertically integrated space company delivering small and medium launch vehicles, spacecraft, satellite subsystems, and advanced payload solutions with a growing emphasis on national security applications through recent acquisitions and expanded U.S.-based manufacturing investments. Its geographic footprint spans North America, New Zealand, and beyond, reflecting a broad mission portfolio from Earth orbit to lunar and interplanetary exploration missions.