MAHIA, New Zealand--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jun 2, 2025--
Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) (“Rocket Lab” or “the Company”), a global leader in launch services and space systems, today successfully launched its 65 th Electron to deploy Earth-imaging satellites for real-time space-based intelligence company BlackSky.
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The ‘Full Stream Ahead’ mission lifted-off from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand at 11:57 am NZST (23:57 UTC on June 2 nd ), successfully deploying a Gen-3 satellite by BlackSky to a 470 km circular earth orbit and further expanding the company’s low Earth orbit constellation. Gen-3 was also deployed from a Rocket Lab Motorized Lightband, a separation system for satellites that Rocket Lab has provided BlackSky for each of its launches on Electron to date.
‘Full Stream Ahead’ is the second in a series of four Electron launches booked by BlackSky to deploy its Gen-3 satellites to orbit this year, and the tenth overall launch for the company since 2019 – making Electron the go-to launch vehicle for BlackSky’s constellation to date. Rocket Lab successfully deployed the first of BlackSky’s new missions, ‘Fasten Your Seatbelts’, earlier this year in February 2025.
Launching just 16 days after Rocket Lab's prior Electron mission from Launch Complex 1, ‘Full Stream Ahead’ underscores Electron’s reliability amid an accelerating launch cadence. This quick succession of launches with 100% mission success solidifies Electron as one of the world’s most consistently and reliably utilized orbital launch vehicles.
Rocket Lab founder and CEO, Sir Peter Beck, said: “Another successful mission to add to Electron’s already stellar track record of providing reliable orbital access for constellation developers across the globe. We’re laser-focused on delivering an increasing cadence of regular and reliable dedicated access to space for small satellite operators with Electron, and looking forward to continuing to deploy BlackSky’s constellation with more Electron launches in the months to come.”
“With each successive launch BlackSky expands on-orbit capacity, introduces Gen-3 capabilities and furthers our ability to meet the demands of the most time-dominant missions. Our partnership with Rocket Lab has demonstrated exceptional agility in deploying capacity where and when our customers need it most,” said Brian O’Toole, BlackSky CEO.
Today’s launch for BlackSky will be Electron’s seventh successful mission of 2025, Rocket Lab’s 65 th launch overall, and brings the total number of satellites delivered to space by Electron to 226.
Launch images:F65 | Full Stream Ahead | Flickr
Launch webcast:Rocket Lab - 'Full Stream Ahead' Launch - YouTube
+ 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 more than 200 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.rocketlabcorp.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.
Rocket Lab Successfully Launches 10th Electron Mission for Multi-Launch Customer BlackSky
