Rocket Lab Awarded $14m in Contracts to Supply Satellite Separation Systems for Companies Supporting Space Development Agency’s Tranche 1 Transport Layer

Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) (“Rocket Lab” or “the Company”), a leading launch and space systems company, has been awarded two contracts worth a total of $14 million to provide satellite separation systems for companies building Space Development Agency’s (SDA) Tranche 1 Transport Layer (T1TL) satellites. Rocket Lab will supply more than 80 total Lightband Separation Systems (Lightbands) to prime contractor Lockheed Martin and another undisclosed customer, both of whom are manufacturing satellites for the SDA’s Tranche 1 Transport Layer.

“Being selected by not one but two companies building spacecraft for the SDA’s Transport Layer is a real vote of confidence in our Lightbands which have delivered 100% mission success for more than 100 separations on orbit.”Tweet this

Lightbands are separation systems that are used to attach satellites to rockets and release them in space once the rocket reaches its intended orbit. Rocket Lab’s separation systems were designed by Planetary Systems Corp, which was acquired by the Company in 2021, and have a 100% mission success rate across more than 140 missions. Compared to typical clamp band separation systems, Rocket Lab’s Lightbands are lighter weight, have a lower profile, shock and tip-off rate, and have attained the highest Technology Readiness Level by the US Government.

Part of the National Defense Space Architecture (NDSA), SDA’s Transport Layer will provide assured, resilient, low-latency military data and connectivity worldwide to the full range of warfighter platforms. T1TL consists of a mesh network of 126 optically-interconnected space vehicles and will form the initial warfighting capability tranche of the NDSA.

“The Tranche 1 Transport Layer will provide crucial capabilities for the National Defense Space Architecture and we’re proud to be delivering the separation systems that will deploy these spacecraft precisely and accurately,” said Brad Clevenger, Vice President of Space Systems. “Being selected by not one but two companies building spacecraft for the SDA’s Transport Layer is a real vote of confidence in our Lightbands which have delivered 100% mission success for more than 100 separations on orbit.”

Previously, Rocket Lab’s Lightbands has been used on NASA International Space Station and Space Shuttle missions, on all major U.S. and international rockets.

The Lightbands are a part of Rocket Lab’s vertically-integrated Space Systems offering that also includes the in-house manufactured and operated spacecraft, satellite dispensers, and satellite components such as reaction wheels and star trackers, solar panels, and flight software.

+ 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, spacecraft components, satellites and other spacecraft 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 and the Photon satellite platform and is developing the large Neutron class launch vehicle. 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 152 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 second launch site in Virginia, USA which is expected to become operational in 2022. To learn more, visit www.rocketlabusa.com.

+ FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

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