Acquisition
Jun 2026Rocket Lab agreed to acquire Iridium in an $8.0 billion cash-and-stock transaction; the deal adds leverage, integration complexity, and closing risk, with expected close in mid-2027.
SourceCompany research
Public company, workplace, funding, and market signals
Overview
Rocket Lab is a vertically integrated space company that provides launch services, spacecraft, satellite components, and mission software for commercial, civil, and defense customers.
Primary product
Electron small orbital launch vehicle
Founded
2006
Headquarters
3881 McGowen Street, Long Beach, CA 90808, USA
Team size
over 2,600 full-time permanent employees worldwide
Industry
Aviation and aerospace component manufacturing
Sub-industry
Launch services, spacecraft manufacturing, satellite components, and space software
Offices
Long Beach, California, USA
Auckland, New Zealand
Mahia, New Zealand
Warkworth, New Zealand
Wallops Island, Virginia, USA
Funding
Stage
Public company / post-IPO
Latest round
Grant · Nov 2024
Latest amount
$23.9M
People & investors
Leadership
Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer, Chair of the Board
Chief Financial Officer
Chief Operations Officer
Work & culture
Mission-driven, fast-moving, and execution-focused. Public job posts emphasize collaboration, grit, teamwork, high standards, and an expectation to thrive under pressure while keeping egos low.
Compensation
Public job postings say base salary is only one part of total rewards. Rocket Lab also offers equity or stock incentives, discounted ESPP access, and a broad benefits package; some roles mention salary bands separately but no company-wide pay scale is public.
Benefits
Medical, dental, and vision insurance
100% company-sponsored medical HSA plan option
401(k) retirement plan with company match
Employee stock purchase program
Company equity / stock incentives
Product & market
Pricing
Primarily contract and program-based pricing for launch missions, spacecraft production, payload integration, and component/software sales; also government and defense contract pricing.
Differentiators
- —End-to-end space stack: launch vehicles, spacecraft, components, and software
- —Flight-proven Electron launch vehicle with high mission cadence
- —HASTE responsive hypersonic test-launch capability
- —Neutron medium-lift reusable rocket in development
- —Private orbital launch site and multi-country manufacturing footprint
- —Strong national-security and government mission pedigree
- —Vertically integrated in-house manufacturing and acquisition strategy
- —Rapid mission turnaround and precision on-orbit operations
Technology
Electron
Scale & contact
Estimated revenue
Approximately $600M-$700M annual revenue range; 2025 revenue was $601.8M
Estimated monthly visits
47K
Traffic estimate as of May 2026
Signals & risks
Acquisition
May 2026Rocket Lab completed its acquisition of Motiv Space Systems, adding robotics and mechanisms capabilities and further vertical integration.
SourceLatest news
Rocket Lab · Jul 2026
Rocket Lab announced a $266 million Space Force contract for 12 suborbital launches with options for six more, including a new Alaska launch site.
Rocket Lab · Jul 2026
Rocket Lab said its VICTUS HAZE mission for the U.S. Space Force hit a 16 hour 42 minute launch response, commissioned the spacecraft in 38 hours, and completed RPO operations in under 59 hours.
SpaceNews · Jun 2026
Rocket Lab agreed to buy Iridium for about $8 billion in cash and stock, a move aimed at combining launch, manufacturing and satellite communications assets.
Rocket Lab · Jun 2026
NASA selected Electron for three launches supporting PolSIR and TSIS-2 Sun and Earth science missions.
Open Positions
367 jobs at Rocket Lab
CNC Machinist- All Levels
On-site2256 Neutron - SSCMiddle River, MDToday
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