Week in Space Data, every Friday.
Rocket Lab, trading as RKLB, delivers launch services, satellite manufacturing, spacecraft components, and on-orbit management as an end-to-end space company.
RKLBACTIVERocket Lab is an end-to-end space company delivering reliable launch services, satellite manufacturing, spacecraft components, and on-orbit management solutions.
Founded by Peter Beck in New Zealand, Rocket Lab has become the second most frequently launched U.S. rocket company after SpaceX. The Electron rocket is a dedicated small-satellite launcher, while the medium-lift Neutron rocket is in development. Rocket Lab also manufactures satellites and spacecraft components through acquisitions of SolAero, Sinclair Interplanetary, and ASI.
Rank 9 of 93 ranked companies
8 of 9 inputs measured · High confidence · 100% of applicable weight backed by data
Not measured: Open-role change (90 days)
A pillar score averages the company’s percentiles among the tracked companies with a value: relative standing, not a grade. Inputs measured 2026-10-14 (UTC) · methodology v6. Every input, its value and percentile · How it is computed
The Space Score ranks companies relative to each other on public data we hold. It describes; it does not rate, forecast or recommend. It is not a credit rating and not investment advice. Full disclaimer
3881 McGowen Street, Long Beach, California 90808
Sources: Founded, Headquarters, CEO, Employees, Legal name
For information only, not investment advice. SpaceNexus is not a registered investment adviser, broker or dealer, and nothing here is a recommendation to buy, sell or hold any security. Data may be delayed, estimated or incomplete; check the source before acting. Full disclaimer
2 private rounds on record before Aug 2021. IPO, offerings, debt and unconverted notes are listed under Funding history by class and not added in.
Hiring
582 open roles right now →
Latest government contract
DEVELOP GEOSPACE DYNAMICS CONSTELLATION (GDC) TRAILBLAZER MISSION CONCEPTS THAT WILL ADDRESS THE OBJECTIVES OF A FUTURE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE MANIFEST REQUIREMENTS DOCUMENT (MRD)…
NASA · $433K · May 28, 2026
Latest SEC filing
8-K · Sep 15, 2026 · EDGAR ↗
Dedicated small satellite launcher. 3D-printed Rutherford engines.
Reusable medium-lift rocket targeting constellation deployment and human spaceflight.
| Source | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Rocket Lab HQ | headquarters | Long Beach, US | Source |
| Launch Complex 2 | launch site | Wallops Island, US | Source |
| Launch Complex 1 | launch site | Mahia Peninsula, NZ | Source |
| Space Structures Complex | manufacturing | Middle River, US | Source |
Stage, milestones, announced next steps and slips, funding and filings, every fact sourced:
Contracts, suppliers, launches and schedule for each program, every fact sourced:
Checking for a discussion…
3 dated public commitments by Rocket Lab, with sources and outcomes on the Promise Ledger.
Compiled Oct 14, 2026 from 13 public records. Every figure links the record it comes from. Facts only: nothing here is a rating, a forecast or a recommendation.
Space federal awards
14 awards, $97.2M obligated
Awards with activity since Oct 1, 2018, as searched Sep 24, 2026. Awarded Sep 30, 2015 to May 28, 2026; most from NASA (9 awards)
Counts awards the government's own product code or programme title marks as space work, or the space research industry code; the satellite-telecoms industry code counts only together with a space agency, office or a space word in the award's own description. Obligated dollars, not ceilings; umbrella contracts (IDVs) are left out because their orders are counted one by one. Amounts as USAspending reported them on Sep 24, 2026.
Source: USAspending.gov recipient profile (all awards, not only space)
Latest award May 28, 2026
Latest space award
$433K from NASA
DEVELOP GEOSPACE DYNAMICS CONSTELLATION (GDC) TRAILBLAZER MISSION CONCEPTS THAT WILL ADDRESS THE OBJECTIVES OF A FUTURE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN...
Source: USAspending.gov award record
Awarded May 28, 2026
SEC filings, last 12 months
160 filings
Including 4 periodic reports and 18 current reports
Source: SEC EDGAR company filings
Latest Oct 2, 2026
Latest sourced round
SPAC Merger: $777.0M
Lead recorded as Vector Acquisition Corporation
Source: SEC Filing
Announced Aug 25, 2021
Sourced rounds on record
3 rounds, $935.2M disclosed
Every round has a disclosed amount
Published rounds with a source link only, on the same rules as the funding tracker. Each round links the source that states its figure; amounts in other currencies are converted to dollars at the rate shown on the funding tracker.
Open roles
582 open roles
30 days ago: 510 (Sep 14, 2026). 90 days ago: before our daily count began (Aug 13, 2026)
Roles on the company's own jobs board, read by our daily sync. Listings posted or paid for on SpaceNexus are not counted. Earlier daily counts include every listed role.
Source: Company jobs board (Greenhouse)
Counted Oct 13, 2026
Launches flown as provider
43 since Nov 18, 2024
none failed. Latest: Electron | Owlright, Owlright, Owlright (StriX Launch 13)
Our launch record starts Nov 18, 2024; earlier launches are not counted here. Every kind of launch in the feed counts, crewed, lunar and station missions included.
Source: Launch Library 2 launch record
Latest launch Sep 26, 2026
Next launch
Electron | We're Not Hawking Around (3x HawkEye 360)
Date to be determined; 60 more on the manifest, 57 of them dated only to a month, quarter or year
Source: Launch Library 2 launch record
No earlier than Oct 21, 2026
Satellites owned or operated
0 in orbit of 4 launched
Latest: Lunar Photon
Payloads GCAT lists with this organisation as owner or operator. "In orbit" is GCAT status O. Counted under GCAT organisation codes PSCR, RLABLB, RLABN, RLABU. Catalogue updated Sep 24, 2026.
Source: GCAT satellite catalogue
Latest launch Jun 28, 2022
Satellites built
10 payloads launched, 0 in orbit
Latest: VICTUS HAZE Puma
Payloads GCAT lists with this organisation as manufacturer. Counted under GCAT organisation codes PSCR, RLABLB, RLABN, RLABU. Catalogue updated Sep 24, 2026.
Source: GCAT satellite catalogue
Latest launch Jun 19, 2026
US Space Force Space Systems Command
Owns one satellite it built (latest VICTUS HAZE Puma)
GCAT satellite catalogue, Jun 19, 2026
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
9 space awards, $70.6M obligated; Owns 2 satellites it built (latest ESCAPADE Blue)
USAspending.gov award record, May 28, 2026
University of California Berkeley
Owns 2 satellites it built (latest ESCAPADE Blue)
GCAT satellite catalogue, Nov 13, 2025
Department of Defense
Satellite data from GCAT (J. McDowell, planet4589.org/space/gcat), CC BY 4.0.
APA
SpaceNexus. (2026, October 14). Rocket Lab: Company dossier [Data set]. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://spacenexus.us/company-profiles/rocket-lab
Chicago
SpaceNexus. "Rocket Lab: Company dossier." Data as of October 14, 2026. Accessed October 14, 2026. https://spacenexus.us/company-profiles/rocket-lab.
BibTeX
@misc{spacenexus_rocketlab_2026,
author = {{SpaceNexus}},
title = {{Rocket Lab}: Company dossier},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
howpublished = {\url{https://spacenexus.us/company-profiles/rocket-lab}},
url = {https://spacenexus.us/company-profiles/rocket-lab},
urldate = {2026-10-14},
note = {Data as of 2026-10-14; each fact links its primary source}
}5 space awards, $26.6M obligated
USAspending.gov award record, Mar 28, 2025
Owns 3 satellites it built (latest W-3)
GCAT satellite catalogue, Mar 15, 2025
Took part in SPAC Merger (Aug 25, 2021)
SEC Filing, Aug 25, 2021
Neuberger Berman
Took part in SPAC Merger (Aug 25, 2021)
SEC Filing, Aug 25, 2021
Vector Acquisition Corporation
Recorded as lead of SPAC Merger (Aug 25, 2021)
SEC Filing, Aug 25, 2021
Vector Capital
Took part in SPAC Merger (Aug 25, 2021)
SEC Filing, Aug 25, 2021
Took part in Series E-1 (May 18, 2020)
SEC EDGAR, May 18, 2020
Took part in Series E-1 (May 18, 2020)
SEC EDGAR, May 18, 2020
Took part in Series E-1 (May 18, 2020)
SEC EDGAR, May 18, 2020
Took part in Series E-1 (May 18, 2020)
SEC EDGAR, May 18, 2020
Estimated: around Mon, Nov 9, 2026 (not announced by the company) · period ending September 2026
Estimated from the company's own SEC filings: it reported the same period a year earlier on Mon, Nov 10, 2025. The company has not announced this date.
Results filed Mon, Aug 10, 2026, after the market closed · period ending June 2026
Share move: not captured (no closing quote was recorded for that session)
Results filing (SEC) (opens in a new tab) · Press release (opens in a new tab)
Merger or acquisition communication (425)
Merger or acquisition communication (425) · · Read the filing on SEC.gov (opens in a new tab) · Filing index (opens in a new tab)
Information shared with investors (Regulation FD), such as a presentation; Other event the company chose to report
8-K items: 7.01 Information shared with investors (Regulation FD), such as a presentation · 8.01 Other event the company chose to report · 9.01 Documents attached
Current report (8-K) · · Read the filing on SEC.gov (opens in a new tab) · Filing index (opens in a new tab)
Prospectus (424B3)
Sets or updates the terms of an offering; a 424B3 is often a resale prospectus for existing holders rather than new money. A public-market offering, not a private funding round. Not counted in private funding totals.
Prospectus (424B3) · · Read the filing on SEC.gov (opens in a new tab) · Filing index (opens in a new tab)
Amendment: Registration of shares for a merger or acquisition (S-4/A)
Amendment: Registration of shares for a merger or acquisition (S-4/A) · · Read the filing on SEC.gov (opens in a new tab) · Filing index (opens in a new tab)
Merger or acquisition communication (425)
Merger or acquisition communication (425) · · Read the filing on SEC.gov (opens in a new tab) · Filing index (opens in a new tab)
Information shared with investors (Regulation FD), such as a presentation; Other event the company chose to report
8-K items: 7.01 Information shared with investors (Regulation FD), such as a presentation · 8.01 Other event the company chose to report · 9.01 Documents attached
Current report (8-K) · · Read the filing on SEC.gov (opens in a new tab) · Filing index (opens in a new tab)