Successful Rocket Lab Launch Completes Deployment of Full Kinéis Constellation in Less Than a Year

Associated Press

18-03-2025

MAHIA, New Zealand--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mar 17, 2025--
Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) ('Rocket Lab' or 'the Company'), a global leader in launch services and space systems, today successfully launched its Electron rocket, deploying five satellites to Low Earth Orbit for French Internet-of-Things (IoT) constellation operator Kinéis. The mission was the fifth in a five launch deal with Kinéis that has seen Rocket Lab deploy a complete constellation of 25 IoT satellites in less than a year.
The 'High Five' mission lifted-off from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand at 14:31 NZDT on March 18, 2025 (01:31 UTC), successfully deploying five satellites to a 650 km low Earth orbit. The mission was Rocket Lab's fourth Electron launch of 2025, and 62 nd Electron launch overall.
Rocket Lab founder and CEO Sir Peter Beck said: 'That's five missions out of five for Kinéis delivered flawlessly by Electron. Many constellation operators wait years for their first mission, but we've deployed Kinéis' mission in under a year and with 100% dedicated launches where they have been able to select launch site, date, and orbital parameters allowing them to maximize coverage for each of their 25 spacecraft. We're proud to have enabled a more connected world through Kinéis' IoT spacecraft and look forward to seeing all the valuable data and insights the constellation provides in the coming months and years.'
'Since 2018, we have led an ambitious project, and this launch, the final one in a series of five, crowns an exceptional effort carried out with solid partners like Rocket Lab, enabling the deployment of our IoT-dedicated constellation in less than a year. On June 1st, we will launch our IoT satellite connectivity commercial services. This achievement marks the beginning of a new era for Kinéis, where the data collected by our constellation will unlock numerous opportunities for our clients and partners,' said Christophe Vassal - Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Kinéis.
The Kinéis constellation is designed to make it possible to connect and locate any connected object anywhere in the world, enabling data transmission to users in near-real time, at low bit rates and with very low energy consumption. By enabling internet connection to the Earth's most remote locations, Kinéis constellation can support forest fire detection, water resource management, infrastructure and energy network monitoring, transport and logistics tracking, and much more.
+ 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, a family of flight-proven spacecraft, 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 200 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,' 'could,' 'would,' 'project,' 'plan,' 'target,' and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, though not all forward-looking statements use these words or expressions. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the 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, 2024, 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 forward-looking statements represent management's estimates as of the date of this press release. While we may elect to update such forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we disclaim any obligation to do so, even if subsequent events cause our views to change.
SOURCE: Rocket Lab USA, Inc.
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PUB: 03/17/2025 10:54 PM/DISC: 03/17/2025 10:54 PM