The new ground station service streamlines operations for Rocket Lab customers’ across a wide variety of missions – from satellite deorbit and re-entry missions to launches on Neutron for interplanetary missions.
LOGAN, Utah–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Small Sat Conference – Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) (“Rocket Lab” or “the Company”), a global leader in launch services and space systems, has partnered with Kongsberg Satellite Services (KSAT), a world leading provider of communication services for spacecraft and launch vehicles, to develop a new global ground station service for its operations and customers that enables efficient and reliable communications for future Neutron launches, increasingly ambitious Electron launches, and on-orbit operations, spacecraft deorbit, and return-to-Earth missions with Rocket Lab spacecraft.
Rocket Lab’s Electron launch vehicle is one of the world’s most frequently launched rockets, having successfully delivered 191 satellites to space for government and commercial customers across science and exploration missions, Earth observation, weather monitoring, and national security. Further expanding its launch capabilities, Rocket Lab is developing its new medium-lift reusable rocket Neutron to launch constellations of satellites, national security and defense missions, and interplanetary missions from mid-2025. Rocket Lab also designs, builds, launches, and operates spacecraft for a variety of government and commercial satellite operators, enabling missions to the Moon for NASA, and providing in-space operations, deorbit, and return-to-Earth spacecraft re-entry operations for commercial customers like Varda Space Industries.
With preparations for Neutron’s first launch, additional return-to-Earth spacecraft missions scheduled for Varda, and more than 40 satellites in the Company’s backlog, Rocket Lab has worked closely with KSAT to co-engineer a new satellite communications service that meets the critical requirements of these future missions. As the sole provider of ground station services to Rocket Lab, KSAT’s network has been scaled to meet both Rocket Lab’s launch and spacecraft operations and the demands of the space industry to ensure optimal performance, minimal latency, and robust support throughout the mission lifecycle.
The expanded satellite communications service now available to KSAT’s and Rocket Lab’s customers includes unique antenna tracking features for complex mission designs across a global ground station network of more than 200 antennas; real-time telemetry, tracking, and control (TT&C); extended monitoring, control, and data acquisition capabilities in S-band, X-band, and Ka-band supporting key IRIG-106 modulation codes; automated ground station scheduling for satellite passes; and other upgraded features and benefits.
Rocket Lab’s Vice President, Business Development & Strategy, Space Systems, Richard French, says: “This upgraded satellite communications service for Electron and Neutron launches and across our various spacecraft streamlines our customers’ missions and simplifies their access to space/ Satellite operators can outsource their satellite operations and communications to us, allowing them to focus on their mission at hand rather than having to build and operate their own ground station infrastructure. We’re delighted to be able to ensure our customers benefit from a reliable, scalable service through our ongoing partnership with KSAT.”
KSAT’s Director of Ground Network Products, Arthur Merlin, says: “Partnering with Rocket Lab exemplifies our commitment to advancing ground network technology through strategic collaborations. This partnership leverages the strengths of both organizations, ensuring seamless and reliable communications for our customers worldwide. We are excited to work closely with Rocket Lab, a leader in innovative launch solutions, to enhance our service offerings and drive forward the development of space communication.”
Additionally, Rocket Lab offers technical and regulatory services as part of its streamlined end-to-end mission solution for customers, including support with radio licensing, frequency coordination to manage unwanted interference, and process navigation through the most complex regulatory environments, as well as a range of technical support services.
+ 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, satellite manufacture, spacecraft components, 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, a family of flight-proven spacecraft, and the Company is developing the large Neutron launch vehicle for constellation deployment. 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 191 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 and a third launch pad in Virginia. To learn more, visit www.rocketlabusa.com.
+ Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We intend such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward looking statements contained in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). All statements contained in this press release other than statements of historical fact, including, without limitation, statements regarding our launch and space systems operations, launch schedule and window, safe and repeatable access to space, Neutron development, operational expansion and business strategy are forward-looking statements. The words “believe,” “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “potential,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “expect,” “strategy,” “future,” “could,” “would,” “project,” “plan,” “target,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, though not all forward-looking statements use these words or expressions. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including but not limited to the factors, risks and uncertainties included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, as such factors may be updated from time to time in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), accessible on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov and the Investor Relations section of our website at www.rocketlabusa.com, which could cause our actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements made in this press release. Any such forward-looking statements represent management’s estimates as of the date of this press release. While we may elect to update such forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we disclaim any obligation to do so, even if subsequent events cause our views to change.
Contacts
+ Rocket Lab Media Contact
Murielle Baker
media@rocketlabusa.com
