After a rocky start to the year, Rocket Lab (RKLB) notched two major wins on Wednesday, including a fresh contract with NASA.
The space systems and launch services company announced it will launch NASA’s Aspera mission, a science project aimed at studying how galaxies form and evolve.
The agency selected Rocket Lab to carry the Aspera spacecraft aboard its Electron rocket.
The launch is scheduled to take place no earlier than Q1 2026 from Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand.
“As a long-trusted launch partner for NASA’s most pioneering small satellites, it’s great to be able to continue that support,” said CEO Peter Beck in a statement.
“Electron has proven itself to be the premier small launcher through complete launch schedule control and reliably accurate orbital deployment.”
Rocket Lab has worked with NASA on several launches since 2018, including the CAPSTONE mission to the moon in 2023.
Another Earth-return mission completed
Also on Wednesday, Rocket Lab confirmed that it had completed its third Earth-return mission for Varda Space Industries, and its second in the past two months.
Varda specializes in orbital drug manufacturing and hypersonic re-entry logistics.
Rocket Lab’s Pioneer spacecraft carried out the mission. The company called it another successful test of Pioneer’s re-entry and recovery capabilities.
“Our Pioneer spacecraft consistently proves its rapid re-entry capability, versatility, and reliability,” Beck said.
On its earnings call last week, Beck said the company is seeing demand for 20 more launches this year and has about half a dozen large opportunities in the pipeline.
“Every milestone and every mission brings us closer to that more lucrative piece of the space value chain,” Beck said.
Rocket Lab reported $122 million in revenue for Q1, up 32% year-over-year. The company successfully completed five missions during the quarter and booked eight more for Electron.
It also recently announced it will launch its new Neutron rocket for the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory. The reusable, medium-lift rocket will support point-to-point cargo transportation for global defense logistics.
That mission is scheduled for no earlier than 2026.
Rocket Lab shares jumped 10.5% on Wednesday to close at $24.13. The stock is now up 429.2% over the past year.
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