From Contract to Launch in Four Months: Rocket Lab Schedules Electron Launch on a Rapid Turnaround for OroraTech Wildfire Detection Mission

Rhea-AI Summary

Rocket Lab (RKLB) has announced a rapid-turnaround mission named 'Finding Hot Wildfires Near You' for OroraTech, scheduled to launch on March 27th UTC from Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand. The mission, contracted just four months ago, will deploy eight Constellation Phase 1 satellites to a 550km orbit.

The satellites will enhance OroraTech's wildfire detection and monitoring capabilities, utilizing AI-driven analytics and thermal infrared cameras to provide near-real-time data for first responders, governments, and stakeholders worldwide. This deployment aims to improve global wildfire response and protection of people, forests, and infrastructure.

This mission marks Rocket Lab's fifth launch of 2025 and 63rd Electron launch overall. Upon completion, Electron will have delivered a total of 224 satellites to space.

Positive

• Rapid 4-month contract-to-launch execution demonstrates operational efficiency
• Mission represents continued commercial launch business growth
• Contributing to total of 224 satellites deployed, showing strong track record

Negative

• None.

LONG BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) (“Rocket Lab” or “the Company”), a global leader in launch services and space systems, today announced it has scheduled a rapid turnaround mission on Electron for OroraTech, a Germany-based global provider of wildfire detection and monitoring solutions.

The mission, named “Finding Hot Wildfires Near You,” is set to launch during a window that opens on March 27^th UTC and will lift off from Rocket Lab’s private orbital launch site Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand. The mission is being deployed only four months after the launch contract was signed to support OroraTech’s season-sensitive requirements for its wildfire detection mission.

Electron will deliver eight of OroraTech’s Constellation Phase 1 satellites to a 550km orbit to expand its constellation providing data from space to help tackle wildfire challenges globally. Using AI-driven analytics derived from near-real-time data provided by its satellites’ thermal infrared cameras, OroraTech’s constellation empowers first responders, governments and those alike with the ability to swiftly address wildfires and hotspots worldwide, significantly enhancing the protection of people, forests, and infrastructure.

“Finding Hot Wildfires Near You” will be Rocket Lab’s fifth mission of 2025 and 63^rd Electron launch overall, and will bring the total number of satellites delivered to space by Electron to 224.

• Mission Name: Finding Hot Wildfires Near You
• Customer: OroraTech
• Launch Window: Opens March 27 at 15:30 UTC / March 28, 2025 at 4:30 a.m. NZDT
• Launch Site: Launch Complex 1, New Zealand
• Live launch broadcast: Live from around T-20 minutes on launch day www.rocketlabusa.com/live-stream
• Images and video: 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 family of spacecraft have 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.

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/20250318078963/en/

Rocket Lab Media Contact

Murielle Baker

media@rocketlabusa.com

Source: Rocket Lab USA, Inc.

FAQ

When is Rocket Lab (RKLB) launching the OroraTech wildfire detection satellites?

Rocket Lab's mission is scheduled to launch on March 27th UTC from Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand.

How many satellites will RKLB deploy for OroraTech's wildfire detection mission?

Rocket Lab will deploy 8 Constellation Phase 1 satellites to a 550km orbit.

What is the turnaround time for RKLB's OroraTech mission contract to launch?

The mission is being deployed just 4 months after the launch contract was signed.

How many satellites has Rocket Lab's Electron launched to date?

After this mission, Electron will have delivered 224 satellites to space across 63 launches.