Rocket Lab - Company Description

Rocket Lab: Accelerating Access to Space and Unlocking the Potential of the Cosmos

At Rocket Lab, we’re not just launching rockets—we’re democratizing space. Our mission is to remove the barriers to space exploration by making it faster, more affordable, and more accessible than ever before. Since our founding in 2006, we’ve been driven by a bold vision: to enable a future where space is open to innovators, researchers, and explorers worldwide. Whether it’s deploying cutting-edge satellite constellations, advancing scientific discovery, or paving the way for interplanetary missions, Rocket Lab is at the forefront of the new space economy. Our measurable impact goals include reducing the cost of small satellite launches by 50% by 2025, achieving weekly launch cadence by 2024, and enabling 100+ missions to the Moon and beyond by 2030.

With over 1,500 employees across the U.S., New Zealand, and beyond, Rocket Lab has grown from a pioneering startup into a vertically integrated space powerhouse. We’ve successfully delivered 160+ satellites to orbit across 32 Electron launches, maintaining an industry-leading 95% mission success rate. Our Photon spacecraft platform has extended mission capabilities beyond Earth orbit, including the CAPSTONE mission to the Moon in partnership with NASA—a historic first for a private company. In 2023, we achieved another milestone with the successful recovery and reuse of an Electron first stage, proving that even small launch vehicles can be sustainable. Our Neutron rocket, currently in development, will further revolutionize the industry by offering 8-ton payload capacity to low Earth orbit (LEO) with full reusability, bridging the gap between small and heavy-lift launchers.

What sets Rocket Lab apart is our end-to-end space systems expertise. Unlike traditional aerospace giants bogged down by legacy systems, we operate with the agility of a tech company and the precision of a space leader. Our in-house design, manufacturing, and mission operations—from rocket engineering and propulsion systems to satellite technology and orbital mechanics—allow us to iterate rapidly and deliver mission success at unprecedented speed. While competitors focus solely on launch, we provide complete mission solutions, including spacecraft design, mission operations, and on-orbit management, making us the partner of choice for governments, commercial enterprises, and research institutions.

Today, Rocket Lab is tackling some of the space industry’s most pressing challenges:
- Sustainability in Space: With debris mitigation strategies and reusable rocket technology, we’re reducing the environmental footprint of space access.
- Responsive Space Operations: Our dedicated launch sites in New Zealand (LC-1) and Virginia (LC-2) enable rapid, flexible mission deployment—critical for national security and disaster response.
- Beyond LEO Ambitions: From lunar missions to Venus exploration (like our 2023 private mission to study Venus’ atmosphere), we’re expanding humanity’s reach into deep space.
- Scalable Satellite Constellations: Our space systems enable seamless deployment and management of next-gen constellations for Earth observation, global connectivity, and climate monitoring.

For aerospace engineers and space technologists, Rocket Lab isn’t just a workplace—it’s a launchpad for careers that shape the future. Here, you’ll work on groundbreaking propulsion systems, autonomous mission operations, and next-gen spacecraft design, all while collaborating with a team that thrives on innovation. Whether you’re optimizing orbital mechanics for precise satellite deployment or developing advanced composite materials for Neutron, your work will have a direct impact on humanity’s journey to the stars.

Join us, and be part of a company that doesn’t just dream about the future of space—we build it, launch it, and operate it. The next frontier starts here. 🚀