Rocket Lab Readies Electron For Lift-Off In Fastest Launch Turnaround Yet

By: Rocket Lab USA, Inc. via Business Wire

December 01, 2021 at 15:33 PM EST

“A Data With Destiny” launch window opens Dec 7 on a mission to deploy two spacecraft for BlackSky real-time geospatial intelligence constellation

Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB), a leading launch and space systems company, has today revealed its next Electron mission is scheduled to take place during a launch window that opens on December 7, 2021, fewer than three weeks since Rocket Lab’s most recent mission on November 18, 2021. These two missions for BlackSky (NYSE: BKSY) occur 19 days apart and represent Rocket Lab’s quickest turnaround in its launch history.

The “A Data With Destiny” mission for BlackSky managed through global launch services provider Spaceflight Inc., will be Rocket Lab’s 23^rd Electron launch and sixth mission of 2021. Rocket Lab will not be attempting to recover Electron for this mission.

Scheduled to launch from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand during a launch window that opens December 7, 2021 UTC, Electron will lift-off to deploy two BlackSky satellites to low-Earth orbit as part of the company’s rapid expansion of its satellite constellation. BlackSky combines high-resolution images captured by its constellation of small satellites with its proprietary Spectra AI analytics and insights platform to government customers and industries including transportation, infrastructure, land use, and supply chain management. BlackSky expects to achieve a 12 satellite constellation by the end of 2021, with a further pair of satellites scheduled to launch on Electron early in 2022.

“A Data With Destiny” is the latest in a multi-launch agreement on Electron for BlackSky and Spaceflight that follows the successful dedicated launch of “Love At First Insight” on November 18, 2021 and a successful rideshare mission including BlackSky earlier in the year. The “A Data With Destiny” launch is set to bring the total number of satellites launched by Rocket Lab to 109, joining a collection of successfully deployed satellites by Rocket Lab in 2021 from sectors including commercial, civil, and defense that are enabling Internet-of-Things connectivity, providing weather and climate data, and testing next-generation technologies.

+ Images and video content

www.rocketlabusa.com/about-us/updates/link-to-rocket-lab-imagery-and-video/

+ 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, spacecraft components, satellites and other spacecraft 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 and the Photon satellite platform and is developing the Neutron 8-ton payload class launch vehicle. 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 107 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, one of which is currently operational, and a second launch site in Virginia, USA which is expected to become operational by the end of 2021. To learn more, visit www.rocketlabusa.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain certain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements, including without limitation expectations regarding the timing of scheduled launches, are based on Rocket Lab’s current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties (many of which are beyond Rocket Lab’s control), or other assumptions that may cause actual results or performance to be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Many factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this press release, including risks related to the global COVID-19 pandemic, including risks related to government restrictions and lock-downs in New Zealand and other countries in which we operate that could delay or suspend our operations; delays and disruptions in expansion efforts; our dependence on a limited number of customers; the harsh and unpredictable environment of space in which our products operate which could adversely affect our launch vehicle and spacecraft; increased congestion from the proliferation of low Earth orbit constellations which could materially increase the risk of potential collision with space debris or another spacecraft and limit or impair our launch flexibility and/or access to our own orbital slots; increased competition in our industry due in part to rapid technological development and decreasing costs; technological change in our industry which we may not be able to keep up with or which may render our services uncompetitive; average selling price trends; failure of our satellites to operate as intended either due to our error in design in production or through no fault of our own; launch schedule disruptions; supply chain disruptions, product delays or failures; design and engineering flaws; launch failures; natural disasters and epidemics or pandemics; changes in governmental regulations including with respect to trade and export restrictions, or in the status of our regulatory approvals or applications; or other events that force us to cancel or reschedule launches, including customer contractual rescheduling and termination rights, and the other risks detailed from time to time in Rocket Lab’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the heading “Risk Factors” and elsewhere (including that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic may also exacerbate the risks discussed therein). There can be no assurance that the future developments affecting Rocket Lab will be those that we have anticipated. Except as required by law, Rocket Lab is not undertaking any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.