The ‘Rocket Like a Hurricane’ launch is
scheduled to lift off from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in New
Zealand as early as May 8 to deploy the first set of TROPICS
satellites for NASA’s hurricane monitoring constellation
Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) (“Rocket Lab” or “the
Company”), a leading launch and space systems company, is preparing
for the first of two dedicated Electron launches to deploy a
constellation of storm monitoring satellites for NASA.
This press release features multimedia. View
the full release here:
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230506005008/en/
Rocket Lab's Electron rocket on the pad
at Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand ahead of the 'Rocket Like a
Hurricane' launch, the first of two dedicated Electron launches for
NASA to deploy the TROPICS storm-monitoring constellation. (Photo:
Business Wire)
The first launch, called ‘Rocket Like a Hurricane,’ is scheduled
for lift-off no earlier than 13:00 on May 8th NZST from Launch
Complex 1 on New Zealand’s Mahia Peninsula. The launch window
extends for two hours and there are back up opportunities
throughout May should the launch date need to be adjusted.
Launch Window: NZST: 13:00 – 15:00, May 8 UTC: 01:00 –
03:00, May 8 EDT: 21:00 – 23:00, May 7 PDT: 18:00 – 20:00, May
7
The TROPICS constellation (Time-Resolved Observations of
Precipitation structure and storm Intensity with a Constellation of
Smallsats) will monitor the formation and evolution of tropical
cyclones, including hurricanes, and will provide rapidly updating
observations of storm intensity. This data will help scientists
better understand the processes that effect these high-impact
storms, ultimately leading to improved modelling and prediction.
The constellation, which is part of NASA’s Earth System Science
Pathfinder Program, consists of four CubeSats that require launch
to a specific orbit at an altitude of 550 kilometers and
inclination of about 30 degrees. All four satellites need to be
deployed into their operational orbit within a 60-day period. The
second launch ‘Coming To a Storm Near You’ is expected to launch
approximately two weeks following the successful launch of “Rocket
Like a Hurricane.”
The live launch webcast will be available at
www.rocketlabusa.com/live-stream from around T-20 minutes on launch
day. Follow Rocket Lab on Twitter @RocketLab for real time mission
updates on launch day.
“Electron has been providing reliable and dedicated launch for
NASA since 2018, including a successful mission to the Moon last
year, and it’s an honor to be entrusted once again for the TROPICS
launches,” said Rocket Lab founder and CEO Peter Beck. “We’re
immensely grateful to play a role in equipping scientists and
researchers with more accurate and timely data about the formation
and intensity of tropical storms to help protect lives and
livelihoods.”
‘Rocket Like a Hurricane’ will be Rocket Lab’s fourth Electron
mission for 2023 and the Company’s 36th launch overall since Rocket
Lab’s first Electron launch in 2017. The TROPICS launches follow on
from previous successful Electron missions for NASA, including the
ELaNa-19 mission and CAPSTONE mission to the Moon.
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, the Photon satellite platform 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 159
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 pad
in Virginia. 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 first quarter 2023, 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, 2022, which was filed with
the SEC on March 7, 2023, 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.
View source
version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230506005008/en/
Rocket Lab Media Contact Morgan Bailey
media@rocketlabusa.com
Rocket Lab USA (NASDAQ:RKLB)
Historical Stock Chart
From Apr 2024 to May 2024
Rocket Lab USA (NASDAQ:RKLB)
Historical Stock Chart
From May 2023 to May 2024