Rocket Lab to build defense satellites for US Space Force
Rocket Lab USA, a subsidiary of Rocket Lab Corp. (RKLB), has secured an $816 million contract to design and manufacture 18 missile-defense satellites for the US government's Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA).
The contract, which was awarded by the US Development Space Agency (SDA), is the largest single contract that the company has been awarded to date. It includes an $806 million base contract, as well as $10.45 million in options.
Rocket Lab's satellites will be utilized for the Tracking Layer Tranche 3 (TRKT3) program of the PWSA.
The satellites will include features such as advanced missile warning and tracking defense sensors that will be able to provide the military with detection and tracking of emerging missile threats, including hypersonic systems.
The satellites will be manufactured for the SDA's United States Space Force (USSF) branch.
Rocket Lab already has a fairly longstanding relationship with SDA and Space Force, including an existing $515 million award to deliver 18 satellites for SDA’s Transport Layer-Beta Tranche 2 program.
Those satellites are designed to provide low-latency, encrypted communications across the PWSA to the military in low-Earth orbit.
The company said that each of its satellites for the TRKT3 program will be equipped with its next-generation Phoenix infrared sensor payload, which is a wide field-of-view solution that supports missile defense needs for national security in space.
They will also be designed with its advanced StarLite space protection sensors, designed to safeguard the constellation against directed energy threats.
The company notes that the StarLite sensors have been adopted by other prime contractors working on the TRKT3 program, which is "further expanding Rocket Lab’s role in the program and unlocking additional contract value beyond its own satellite production."
Rocket Lab said that because of the opportunities offered by working with other TRKT3 prime contractors, its $816 million contract with SDA could expand to as much as $1 billion.
This might include providing payloads, solar solutions, attitude determination and control components, as well as additional software.
“The Tranche 3 Tracking Layer constellation is part of the U.S. Space Force’s strategy to counter rapidly evolving global threats, ensuring the nation’s defense capabilities remain ahead of adversaries,” Rocket Lab founder and CEO Peter Beck said in a statement. “Rocket Lab is honored to play a role in enabling this.”
“Demand for resilient, scalable, and affordable space systems continues to grow, and this award demonstrates that Rocket Lab is uniquely positioned to lead the charge in delivering solutions that meet the needs of national security,” Beck added.
Rocket Lab has been ramping up its business in the defense industry, which it bolstered this past summer with the $275-million acquisition of Geost, a Tucson-based manufacturer of electro-optical and infrared (EO/IR) payloads used in national security satellites.
The company said at the time that the acquisition was "cementing Rocket Lab as a disruptor in national security space."
It's also making progress in its commercial business as well.
Rocket Lab said on Sunday that it had successfully launched its Electron rocket as part of a mission to deploy the latest satellite to space for the Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space, Inc. (iQPS), a Japan-based Earth imaging company.
It was the 21st successful launch of Electron in 2025, which is a record number of launches across a single year for the rocket, according to the company.
Rocket Lab's stock gained nearly 10% on Monday and has surged 204.5% for the year.