There’s no doubt that Elon Musk’s Starlink broadband-by-satellite system currently dominates Direct-To-Consumer (D2C) transmissions. Starlink is also enjoying success in serving Cruise ships and airlines with high-speed connectivity. There’s currently a battle for a would be/could be 2nd Place position between Jeff Bezos and Amazon’s Project Kuiper and AST SpaceMobile. Kuiper has yet to make a start, and AST has just five satellites in orbit. But there are many suggestions that Sir Peter Beck’s Rocket Lab might leap-frog these 2nd Place contenders with its own mega-constellation.
Indeed, there are suggestions that Rocket Lab, based in New Zealand, could be a dark horse because of its planned 5G-ready satellite system and newly-developed ‘Flatellite’ satellite design.
Sir Peter Beck, speaking on March 17th at a technology conference, said, “You’re never going to see some big grandiose announcement with arms waving everywhere. We’ll just methodically execute and put one foot in front of the other — we’ll never put the company in a position where we’re going to bet it on a particular application or a particular thing, we’ll just methodically go about it and create value all the way along.”
Rocket Lab is already a highly successful launch company with sites in New Zealand and at Wallops Island, Virginia. Beck is highly focused on steady, methodical execution rather than making flashy announcements or taking unnecessary risks. The company has launched more than 60 Electron missions.
Meanwhile, day-by-day, week-by-week, it successfully launches its Electron rockets. It is well advanced on developing its Neutron fully-reusable rocket. It is in the process of buying German laser equipment supplier Mynaric out of bankruptcy and has acquired and adapted its floating landing pad for its rockets.
One observer reported that Rocket Lab’s growth trajectory in its core launch business could play a significant role. The company has been scaling its Electron rocket launches, with 12 missions in 2024 compared to 10 in 2023, and management has predicted strong demand continuing into 2025. The introduction of the Neutron rocket, a medium-lift vehicle slated for its first test launch in 2025, could be a game-changer. Priced at $50–55 million per launch — far higher than Electron’s $8.2 million — Neutron targets larger payloads and could significantly boost revenue. Importantly, a Neutron launch would be priced well below SpaceX’s Falcon 9.
Rocket Lab’s existing Electron is already the second-most frequently launched rocket (after SpaceX’s Falcon 9).
Analysts project revenue to grow from $436 million in 2024 to over $600 million in 2025, with some estimates suggesting $921 million by 2026.
A few days ago, Airbus Constellation Satellites awarded Rocket Lab with a contract to provide high efficiency, space grade solar panels for 100 OneWeb Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites for Eutelsat’s OneWeb subsidiary.
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