Rocket Lab Wins $90M Space Force Deal for Two GEO Defense Satellites
Rocket Lab secured a $90 million U.S. Space Force contract to design, build, integrate and operate two geostationary satellites carrying the Heimdall space domain awareness payload. The deal marks Rocket Lab’s first operational GEO satellite program and includes spacecraft manufacturing, launch integration and up to five years of on-orbit operations.
1. Space Force Contract Award
Rocket Lab received a $90 million contract from the U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command to design, manufacture, integrate and operate two geostationary satellites over a five-year mission lifecycle.
2. Heimdall Payload and Satellite Platform
Each satellite will carry the Heimdall space domain awareness payload, leveraging compact electro-optical sensors to monitor objects in geostationary orbit, built on Rocket Lab’s Lightning spacecraft bus adapted for thermal, propulsion and station-keeping demands.
3. First Operational GEO Program
This contract marks Rocket Lab’s inaugural operational geostationary orbit satellite program, transitioning from prototype payload development to full satellite production and on-orbit operations managed end-to-end by the company.
4. Market Reaction and Company Impact
Shares of Rocket Lab jumped 5% in overnight trading as investors reacted to the national security contract, which adds a new revenue stream and strengthens the company’s position in U.S. defense space missions ahead of its upcoming Electron launch.