Rocket Lab Wins NITE-STAR Launch Contract, Iridium Deal Clears Shareholder Vote
RKLB sits 92% above its 52-week low of $37.57.
Summary
Rocket Lab secured a position on the U.S. Space Force NITE-STAR contract vehicle, a pooled award framework with a combined ceiling of up to $981 million for launch services. The company also announced that its $8 billion acquisition of Iridium Communications received approximately 99.6% shareholder approval, with the deal now pending regulatory clearance and targeting a mid-2027 close. Additionally, Rocket Lab completed its 97th Electron mission, marking the 18th launch of 2026, as focus shifts to the Neutron reusable heavy rocket. These developments follow the company's record Q2 revenue of $234 million and the completion of its $1.944 billion ATM offering, which secured permanent financing for the Iridium deal. The NITE-STAR award adds a new government revenue stream, while the shareholder approval removes a key hurdle for the transformative Iridium acquisition. Watch for regulatory decisions on the Iridium deal and the first Neutron launch, which remains targeted for Q4 2026.
At the time of this announcement, RKLB was trading at $72.14 on NASDAQ in the Technology sector, with a market capitalization of approximately $43.2B. The 52-week trading range was $37.57 to $151.00. This news item was assessed with positive market sentiment and an importance score of 8 out of 10. Source: Wiseek News.