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Rocket Lab Awarded $14m in Contracts to Supply Satellite Separation Systems for Space Development Agency’s Tranche 1 Transport Layer
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Rocket Lab USA has secured contracts totaling $14 million to deliver Lightband Separation Systems for the Space Development Agency’s Tranche 1 Transport Layer satellites. The agreements involve supplying over 80 systems to Lockheed Martin and another unnamed client. The Lightbands boast a 100% mission success rate across over 140 launches and are lighter and more effective than traditional systems. This achievement signifies a strong confidence in Rocket Lab’s capabilities, enhancing its position in the defense space industry.
Positive
Secured contracts worth $14 million for 80 Lightband Separation Systems.
Achieved 100% mission success rate across over 140 missions.
Contracts indicate strong confidence from major industry players.
Negative
None.
The contracts represent the highest value orders for Rocket Lab’s separation systems to date
LONG BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) (“Rocket Lab” or “the Company”), a leading launch and space systems company, has been awarded two contracts worth a total of $14 million to provide satellite separation systems for Space Development Agency’s (SDA) Tranche 1 Transport Layer (T1TL) satellites. Rocket Lab will supply more than 80 total Lightband Separation Systems (Lightbands) to prime contractor Lockheed Martin and another an undisclosed customer, both of whom are manufacturing satellites for the SDA’s Tranche 1 Transport Layer.
Lightbands are separation systems that are used to attach satellites to rockets and release them in space once the rocket reaches its intended orbit. Rocket Lab’s separation systems were designed by Planetary Systems Corp, which was acquired by the Company in 2021, and have a 100% mission success rate across more than 140 missions. Compared to typical clamp band separation systems, Rocket Lab’s Lightbands are lighter weight, have a lower profile, shock and tip-off rate, and have attained the highest Technology Readiness Level by the US Government.
Part of the National Defense Space Architecture (NDSA), SDA’s Transport Layer will provide assured, resilient, low-latency military data and connectivity worldwide to the full range of warfighter platforms. T1TL consists of a mesh network of 126 optically-interconnected space vehicles and will form the initial warfighting capability tranche of the NDSA.
“The Tranche 1 Transport Layer will provide crucial capabilities for the National Defense Space Architecture and we’re proud to be delivering the separation systems that will deploy these spacecraft precisely and accurately,” said Brad Clevenger, Vice President of Space Systems. “Being selected by not one but two companies building spacecraft for the SDA’s Transport Layer is a real vote of confidence in our Lightbands which have delivered 100% mission success for more than 100 separations on orbit.”
Previously, Rocket Lab’s Lightbands has been used on NASA International Space Station and Space Shuttle missions, on all major U.S. and international rockets.
The Lightbands are a part of Rocket Lab’s vertically-integrated Space Systems offering that also includes the in-house manufactured and operated spacecraft, satellite dispensers, and satellite components such as reaction wheels and star trackers, solar panels, and flight software.
+ 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 large Neutron 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 152 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 second launch site in Virginia, USA which is expected to become operational in 2022. 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 Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, contained in this release, including statements regarding our expectations of financial results for the third quarter of 2022, strategy, future operations, future financial position, projected costs, prospects, plans and objectives of management, are forward-looking statements. Words such as, but not limited to, “anticipate,” “aim,” “believe,” “contemplate,” “continue,” “could,” “design,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “seek,” “should,” “suggest,” “strategy,” “target,” “will,” “would,” and similar expressions or phrases, or the negative of those expressions or phrases, are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. These forward-looking statements 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 release, including risks related to the global COVID-19 pandemic; 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 launch vehicles, spacecraft and components 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; risks that acquisitions may not be completed on the anticipated time frame or at all or do not achieve the anticipated benefits and results; and the other risks detailed from time to time in Rocket Lab’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including under the heading “Risk Factors” in Rocket Lab’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, which was filed with the SEC on March 24, 2022, 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.
