How Much Does a Dedicated Electron Launch Cost?
Short answer: About $7.5M at list for the whole rocket, which carries up to 300 kg to low Earth orbit (200 kg to sun-synchronous orbit on the catalogue). That is $25,000/kg if you fill it, against $7,000/kg — about $2.1M for 300 kg — on a SpaceX rideshare. The roughly $5.4M difference is the price of choosing your own orbit, inclination and launch date, being the primary payload, and flying from Mahia in New Zealand or Wallops in Virginia on your schedule rather than a Transporter's.
List and rideshare prices as of 2026-09-01. Figures track the launch cost guide; contract prices vary.
Price by option
| Option | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dedicated Electron, list | $7.5M | Up to 300 kg to LEO, 200 kg to SSO; Rocket Lab quotes per mission and options such as a kick stage are extra |
| Per kilogram at a full 300 kg | $25,000/kg | The best case; a lighter payload pays the same total |
| Per kilogram at the 200 kg SSO capacity | $37,500/kg | Sun-synchronous orbit costs performance, so the effective rate rises |
| Same 300 kg on a SpaceX rideshare | ~$2.1M | $7,000/kg, the mission's orbit and date |
| The dedicated premium | ~$5.4M | What you pay for your orbit, your date and primary-payload status |
The costs that are not on the price list
- Range and licensing: a launch from Mahia falls under New Zealand and US rules, a launch from Wallops under the FAA; export-control paperwork for a US-built satellite flying abroad takes months.
- Transporting the satellite and its team to a remote launch site and keeping them there through slips.
- Kick-stage or precision-insertion options, which Rocket Lab prices as extras.
- Schedule risk: a dedicated mission waits for you, but you also wait for the rocket — weather holds and range conflicts land on your calendar.
- Insurance, if bought, is quoted per mission.
Frequently asked
Is Electron cheaper than a SpaceX rideshare?
No — per kilogram it is several times more ($25,000/kg versus $7,000/kg). It is cheaper than any other dedicated ride to your own orbit, which is the product.
When is a dedicated Electron worth it?
When the orbit matters more than the money: a specific inclination or altitude no rideshare is visiting, a fixed date, a technology demonstration that needs to be the primary payload, or a customer who cannot share a manifest.
Where does Electron launch from?
Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 on the Mahia Peninsula in New Zealand and Launch Complex 2 at Wallops Island, Virginia. Our launches-by-site pages track both.