Rocket Lab invests in US national security programs, chipmaking
Rocket Lab’s capital investments over the next five years are expected to strengthen its market position as a satellite manufacturer, components supplier, and end-to-end mission provider for commercial and national security space missions.
Rocket Lab Corporation has announced it is boosting its US investments to expand semiconductor manufacturing capacity and provide supply chain security for space-grade solar cells and electro-optical sensors for national security space missions. The Trump Administration will support these investments with a USD 23.9 million award through the Department of Commerce, part of the CHIPS and Science Act.
Rocket Lab’s capital investments over the next five years are expected to strengthen its market position as a satellite manufacturer, components supplier, and end-to-end mission provider for commercial and national security space missions, the company said in a media release.
Rocket Lab’s investment builds upon the company’s existing US expansion plans for its space systems products alongside a USD 275 million acquisition of Geost, an electro-optical payload provider based in Tucson, Arizona and northern Virginia, the media release said.
“Our leadership in American-made semiconductor technologies is built upon more than 25 years of engineering and manufacturing excellence in New Mexico,” said Rocket Lab Vice President of Space Systems, Brad Clevenger. “These latest investments will expand that production capacity, strengthen supply chains, create new jobs, and develop economic opportunities across the states where we operate — and are additional examples of Rocket Lab’s commitment to delivering reliable and cost-effective solutions at scale to the space industry.”
“This administration is taking historic actions to encourage companies like Rocket Lab to invest in American ingenuity and innovation,” said US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick. “Rocket Lab’s investment will help cement our dominance in space while expanding opportunities for workers across the country.”
Headquartered in Long Beach, California, Rocket Lab is an end-to-end space company and has delivered launch services, satellite manufacture, spacecraft components, and on-orbit management solutions.
