Rocket Lab Signs Second Multi-Launch Deal, Secures Eight Electron Missions with iQPS

By: Rocket Lab USA, Inc. via Business Wire

February 27, 2025 at 16:18 PM EST

Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) (“Rocket Lab” or “the Company”), a global leader in launch services and space systems, today announced it has signed one of its largest Electron launch agreements to date in a second multi-launch deal with Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space, Inc. (iQPS), a Japan-based Earth imaging company.

This newly-signed deal follows an earlier multi-launch contract signed with iQPS in 2024 and brings the total number of booked dedicated Electron launches for iQPS to eight. Across both bulk orders, six missions are scheduled for launch in 2025 and two in 2026. These follow on from Rocket Lab’s first launch for iQPS in December 2023, which successfully deployed the QPS-SAR-5 satellite “TSUKUYOMI-I” to orbit. The new deal is one of the largest Electron launch agreements to date, second only to Rocket Lab’s ten launch deal with another Japanese constellation operator, Synspective, signed last year.

Each Electron launch supports the build out of iQPS’ planned constellation of 36 synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites capable of imaging the Earth, day and night and through any weather, to provide near real-time observation data for almost any location in the world. By launching as the sole customer on each Electron mission, iQPS has greater control over launch schedule, orbit, and other mission parameters compared with rideshare launch options, enabling iQPS to maximize the full capacity of iQPS’ constellation through tailored and precise orbits.

Rocket Lab founder and CEO, Sir Peter Beck, says: “Precise constellation build out on a tailored timeline is Electron’s strength. We know precise orbital positioning is critical to every Earth imaging mission, making it highly sought after by constellation operators. This demand is reflected in the many multi-launch contracts that we continue to sign with return constellation operators like iQPS. We are honored to be partnering with iQPS once again to deliver this capability.”

iQPS CEO, Dr. Shunsuke Onishi, says: “We are delighted and grateful to announce an additional launch contract for four more satellite on Electron, following our previous announcement. Electron’s high launch frequency and reliability make it an ideal choice for our mission, and securing this opportunity at such an early stage is truly exciting. This contract brings us one step closer to building our satellite constellation over the next two years, and we remain fully committed to making this vision a reality.”

The next Electron mission for iQPS is scheduled to launch as soon as March 2025. Full details about the launch will be made available closer to launch day.

Rocket Lab Images and Videos: www.flickr.com/photos/rocketlab/

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.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, 2024, 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.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250227515074/en/

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Media contact

Murielle Baker

media@rocketlabusa.com

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Rocket Lab Signs Second Multi-Launch Deal, Secures Eight Electron Missions with iQPS

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