Rocket Lab Successfully Launches Fifth National Security Mission for NRO
March 21 2024 - 5:22AM
Business Wire
The mission was Rocket Lab’s first launch for
the National Reconnaissance Office from U.S. soil following four
previous successful launches for the agency from New Zealand
Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) (“Rocket Lab” or “the
Company”), a global leader in launch services and space systems,
today successfully launched a dedicated mission for the National
Reconnaissance Office (NRO) from Launch Complex 2 in Wallops,
Virginia.
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the full release here:
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Rocket Lab's Electron launch vehicle
lifts-off from Launch Complex 2 at NASA Wallops Flight Facility in
Virgnia, deploying payloads for the NRO. Image Credit Austin
Adams
The NROL-123 mission, called ‘Live and Let Fly’, was launched on
a Rocket Lab Electron launch vehicle at 03:25 EDT on March 21,
2024. The mission was Rocket Lab’s first launch for the NRO from
the United States after previously launching four NRO missions from
Launch Complex 1 on New Zealand’s Mahia Peninsula. It was also
Rocket Lab’s 4th mission from Launch Complex 2 within Virginia
Spaceport Authority's Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport and the NASA
Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.
“We are proud to once again deliver mission success for the NRO
on Electron,” said Rocket Lab founder and CEO, Peter Beck. “The NRO
have placed their trust in Rocket Lab since our first launch
together in 2020 and it’s an honor to continue delivering dedicated
access to orbit for national security missions, this time from the
other side of the planet. The RASR contract process is an
innovative, forward-leaning approach from the NRO that has allowed
the agency to capitalize on the speed and responsiveness of
commercial launch services and we’re thrilled to make it possible
with Electron.”
The launch service was acquired using NRO’s Rapid Acquisition of
a Small Rocket (RASR) contract. RASR enables the NRO to explore new
opportunities for launching small satellites through a streamlined,
commercial approach. NRO missions provide critical information to
more than a half-million government users, including every member
of the Intelligence Community, two dozen domestic agencies, the
military, lawmakers, and decision makers.
The mission was Rocket Lab’s fourth launch of 2024 and 46th
Electron launch overall.
Images and video of the launch are available for download:
https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBhU5m
Launch replay can he found here:
www.youtube.com/live/Coa3GZtotQo?si=NlhJ0YGiCIGr_PgE
+ 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
more than 180 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,”
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though not all forward-looking statements use these words or
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achievements to be materially different from any future results,
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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, 2023, 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
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+ Rocket Lab Media Contact Morgan Bailey
media@rocketlabusa.com
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