Rocket Lab to build military satellites for Space Development Agency

WASHINGTON — The Area Growth Company awarded Rocket Lab $515 million to construct 18 knowledge transport satellites.

The corporate joins Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, who obtained awards in August to develop 36 satellites every. The spacecraft are a part of the third era — dubbed Tranche 2 — of SDA’s Proliferated Warfigher Area Structure, a fleet of tons of of small satellites working in low Earth orbit, about 1,200 miles above the planet’s floor.

California-based Rocket Lab has been increasing its area programs enterprise in recent times, and the SDA award marks its first prime satellite tv for pc growth contract. The corporate in November introduced plans to increase its manufacturing footprint with a brand new Area Constructions Complicated in Maryland.

“This contract marks the start of Rocket Lab’s new period as a number one satellite tv for pc prime,” CEO Peter Beck mentioned in a press release. “We’ve methodically executed on our technique of creating and buying skilled groups, superior know-how, manufacturing amenities, and a sturdy spacecraft provide chain to make this potential.”

CEO Adam Spice instructed buyers Jan. 8 that Rocket Lab sees alternatives for future satellite tv for pc contracts throughout the nationwide safety area sector, although he declined to debate specifics.

“I believe this can be a large validation of the truth that these alternatives are actual for Rocket Lab,” he mentioned.

Rocket Lab will construct the satellites — designed to offer encrypted connectivity and communication for navy customers working across the globe — at its Lengthy Seashore, California, manufacturing complicated. The corporate will produce the subsystems for the 18 spacecraft in-house, together with begin trackers, photo voltaic panels, flight software program and different parts.

“This excessive diploma of vertical integration provides Rocket Lab a uncommon degree of management over provide chain, enabling efficiencies and certainty on value, schedule and high quality,” the corporate mentioned.

Established in 2019, SDA’s technique is outlined by two key acquisition ideas: spiral growth and proliferation. The PWSA will increase constellations of huge spacecraft with tons of of small, comparatively low-cost satellites. Whereas it takes the navy on common 5 to 10 years to conceive after which launch a satellite tv for pc, SDA needs to shorten that to about two years and discipline know-how at an everyday tempo, or “spiral.”

The company expects to launch the 72 transport satellites constructed by Lockheed and Northrop in 2026 and the remaining Rocket Lab spacecraft in 2027.