NASA has awarded Rocket Lab a contract for three Electron rocket launches from the Māhia Peninsula, supporting scientific missions starting in 2027.
Two of the launches will carry instruments examining ice cloud formation in the upper atmosphere as part of NASA's PolSIR programme, while a third will study the sun under the TSIS2 mission. All three launches will take place at Rocket Lab's New Zealand facility.
Rocket Lab founder and chief executive Peter Beck said "Electron has become synonymous with reliability, precise orbital accuracy, and on-demand launch capability and we've been delivering this for NASA missions for almost a decade".
The company has been delivering launches for NASA missions for nearly a decade and has more than 70 missions booked for its Electron programme. The Nasdaq-listed firm's contracted work backlog stands above US$2 billion, while its stock value has climbed approximately 150% across the last 12 months.