Rocket Lab Corporation (NASDAQ:RKLB) signed a contract with Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) for two satellite launches at the company’s New Zealand launch complex.
The latest development for Rocket Lab (NASDAQ:RKLB), coming on the heels of a multi-launch contract with Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space, is setting the company’s stock up for its ninth consecutive day in the green and another all-time high.
The first launch for JAXA on its Electron rocket will take place in December to deploy the agency’s Rapid Innovative payload demonstration SatellitE-4 spacecraft.
The second launch will occur in 2026 to deploy multiple satellites, cameras, and antenna as part of a JAXA-manifested rideshare.
The latest mission for JAXA adds to the more than two dozen dedicated missions booked by the Japanese space industry on Rocket Lab’s Electron launch vehicle through the end of the decade.
“These missions are a demonstration of Electron’s global importance – supporting the growth of Japan’s space industry with launch on a U.S. rocket from a New Zealand launch site – and we’re proud to be entrusted to deliver them,” Rocket Lab CEO Sir Peter Beck said in a statement.
Besides private satellite launches, Rocket Lab (NASDAQ:RKLB) is positioning itself to be selected as a contractor for the Golden Dome missile defense project, currently allocated with an initial budget of $25B. The company recently acquired electro-optical and infrared sensor system developer Goest to facilitate Rocket Lab’s status as a “disruptive prime contractor for next-generation defense initiatives.”
Rocket Lab (RKLB) shares opened nearly 8% higher.