Press Release

Rocket Lab Provides First Half 2021 Financial Results Update

By SpaceRef Editor
September 8, 2021
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Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) (“Rocket Lab” or “the Company”), a global leader in launch services and space systems, today reviewed financial results for the six months ended June 30, 2021, which were previously released in its 8-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on August 31, 2021

“In the first half of 2021, we continued our track record of consistent execution across launch and space systems, further establishing Rocket Lab as a new breed of end-to-end space company. This continues to be validated by our market and technology leading customers and industry partners in the form of further strengthening of contract backlog in the first half of 2021,” said Peter Beck, Rocket Lab founder and Chief Executive Officer. “Following the completion of our merger with Vector Acquisition Corporation on August 25, 2021, we’re well positioned to continue our expansion into space systems and further development of our 8-ton payload class Neutron launch vehicle to unlock the potential of space.”

First Half 2021 Business Highlights: 

  • Launched three missions in the first half of 2021, followed by a fourth in July 2021. The missions brought the total number of Electron launches to 21. The Electron launch vehicle has now deployed 105 satellites to orbit.
  • Entered into a contract with Varda Space Industries to manufacture and operate three Photon spacecraft to enable in-space manufacturing.
  • Entered into a contract with BlackSky Global for five Electron launches to support their constellation growth.
  • Entered into a contract to launch a General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) developed Orbital Test Bed (OTB) Satellite.
  • Entered into a study contract for a Mars mission that will see Rocket Lab develop two Photon spacecraft in support of the University of California, Berkeley Space Sciences Laboratory for a NASA science mission.
  • Added Merline Saintil and Jon Olson, two seasoned Board members, to the Rocket Lab Board of Directors.
  • Successfully recovered an Electron booster for the second time, further advancing the program to make Electron a reusable launch vehicle which will enable us to increase our launch cadence and reduce our cost per mission.

Since June 30, 2021 Rocket Lab also:

  • Completed the merger with Vector Acquisition Corporation on August 25, 2021, began publicly trading on the Nasdaq (ticker: RKLB), and added Vector Capital CEO and veteran investor Alex Slusky to the Board of Directors.
  • Entered into a contract with Kinéis for five Electron launches to deploy their entire constellation of 25 satellites.
  • Signed launch services agreements to deploy satellites for Alba Orbital and Aurora Propulsion Technologies.
  • Began construction on a new high volume production line capable of producing up to 2,000 reaction wheels per year to support a growing number of contracts with constellation customers.

Conference Call Information

Rocket Lab will host a conference call for investors at 1:30 p.m. PT (4:30 p.m. ET) today to discuss these business highlights and financial results, and to provide our outlook for the third quarter ending September 30, 2021, fourth quarter ending December 31, 2021, and other updates. The live webcast and a replay of the webcast will be available on Rocket Lab’s Investor Relations website: https://investors.rocketlabusa.com/events-and-presentations/events

About Rocket Lab 

Founded in 2006, Rocket Lab is an end-to-end space company with an established track record of mission success. We deliver reliable launch services, spacecraft components, satellites and other spacecraft and on-orbit management solutions that make it faster, easier and more affordable to access space. Headquartered in Long Beach, California, Rocket Lab designs and manufactures the Electron small orbital launch vehicle and the Photon satellite platform and is developing the Neutron 8-ton payload class launch vehicle. Since its first orbital launch in January 2018, Rocket Lab’s Electron launch vehicle has become the second most frequently launched U.S. rocket annually and has delivered 105 satellites to orbit for private and public sector organizations, enabling operations in national security, scientific research, space debris mitigation, Earth observation, climate monitoring, and communications. Rocket Lab’s Photon spacecraft platform has been selected to support NASA missions to the Moon and Mars, as well as the first private commercial mission to Venus. Rocket Lab has three

launch pads at two launch sites, including two launch pads at a private orbital launch site located in New Zealand, one of which is currently operational, and a second launch site in Virginia, USA which is expected to become operational by the end of 2021. To learn more, visit www.rocketlabusa.com.

SpaceRef staff editor.