Rocket Lab is an end-to-end space company based in Long Beach, CA, that offers launch services, satellite manufacturing, spacecraft components, and on-orbit management. Its technology has been integrated into over 1,700 satellites globally, and the company has deployed 176 satellites through 43 launches to date. Rocket Lab is scaling both its launch and space systems businesses and positioning itself as a satellite prime contractor for commercial and government customers. The company recently won a $515 million contract with the Space Development Agency to design, develop, produce, test, and operate 18 satellites. To support expansion, Rocket Lab is increasing manufacturing capacity and investing in testing equipment and R&D. Trinity Capital has committed equipment financing to help fund that manufacturing and R&D growth. Rocket Lab builds and manufactures the Electron small‑satellite launch vehicle and related launch infrastructure. The company recently completed its first fully commercial launch, “It’s Business Time,” and says the vehicle is “fully dialed in.” With new capital it plans to aggressively scale Electron production and expand manufacturing capacity to support a targeted weekly flight rate. Rocket Lab also intends to build additional launch pads and begin work on three major new R&D programs aimed at more efficient satellite deployment and reducing space waste. CEO Peter Beck has emphasized reducing turnaround time for customers; the company demonstrated a three‑month path from zero to full payload on the recent mission. The $140 million raise values the company well above $1 billion and is intended to accelerate production and operational expansion. Rocket Lab is based in Auckland, New Zealand, and Huntington Beach, California, and builds the Electron launch vehicle for small imaging and communications satellites. Electron is an entirely carbon-composite vehicle that uses 3D-printed Rutherford engines and can deliver payloads up to 150 kg to a 500 km sun-synchronous orbit. The company targets constellation-satellite customers and supports use cases including crop monitoring, improved weather reporting, internet from space, natural disaster prediction, maritime data and search and rescue. Customers named in the article include NASA, Planet, Spire and Moon Express. Rocket Lab has raised $148M to date and has a valuation in excess of $1 billion. The company plans to use new funding to expand facilities in Los Angeles and increase rocket production. Rocket Lab is building Electron, an all carbon-composite launch vehicle designed to deliver small satellites to commercial orbit with high frequency and low cost. The company plans to use its Series B funding to complete the Electron launch system and aims to begin commercial launch operations as early as 2016; the first Electron launch was planned for December 2015. Rocket Lab said it would reveal further Electron details at the April 2015 Space Symposium. Founded by Peter Beck in 2008, the Auckland startup operates facilities in Auckland and the USA and employs a large team of industry experts. The company has developed and launched more than 80 rockets and lists customers including Lockheed Martin, DARPA and Aerojet Rocketdyne.

Total raised

$335M

Funding rounds

4

Latest round

Debt Financing

Latest activity

Feb 2024