Rocket Lab Wins DARPA Contract for Upcoming Satellite Mission
Launch startup Rocket Lab secures a contract with the Defense Department's research wing to send an experimental satellite into orbit this February.
Rocket Lab adds a major new client to its roster by securing a launch contract with DARPA. The New Zealand-based company plans to send an experimental satellite called R3D2 into low Earth orbit in late February. This partnership highlights how Rocket Lab provides affordable and frequent launch options that appeal to deep-pocketed government agencies.
DARPA sees this mission as a way to quickly deploy and test new space technology without the usual delays. The agency streamlined the entire process from conception to launch by using commercial acquisition practices. Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck notes that this rapid deployment capability for dedicated small satellites is entirely new to the industry.
The payload itself is a unique science experiment featuring a thin membrane antenna that folds up tightly during launch and unfolds to a seven-foot diameter in space. Because the 330-pound satellite takes up most of the room on the Electron rocket, DARPA pays for the entire vehicle rather than sharing the ride. A successful launch cements Rocket Lab's growing reputation alongside its previous commercial and NASA missions.