Rocket Lab soars to 52-week high after updating on Mars-bound spacecraft

Rocket Lab USA (NASDAQ:RKLB) announced on Friday that it has successfully packed and shipped two Mars-bound spacecraft to Cape Canaveral, Florida in preparation for launch.

The twin spacecraft for the Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers heliophysics mission were designed, built, integrated, and tested by Rocket Lab for the University of California Berkeley’s Space Science Laboratory and NASA. The spacecraft, known as Blue and Gold, recently completed comprehensive assembly, integration, and testing at Rocket Lab’s (RKLB) Spacecraft Production Complex and headquarters in Long Beach, California. The team also conducted final closeout activities, including the installation of spacecraft solar arrays and multi-layer insulation blankets, before they were packaged and shipped to Florida for launch.

Upon arrival at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex, Rocket Lab (RKLB) team members will transfer the spacecraft to a cleanroom for post-transport inspections and tests. Following thorough checks, the team will commence preparation for fueling the spacecraft in anticipation of their upcoming launch on Blue Origin’s (BORGN) New Glenn rocket.

“We’ve already been to the Moon for NASA, so we’re excited to build on that and send Rocket Lab technology deeper into the solar system, this time to the Red Planet,” said Rocket Lab CEO Sir Peter Beck.

Once launched, the ESCAPADE mission will measure plasma and magnetic fields around the Red Planet. These observations will help scientists unravel the processes that strip atoms from Mars’ magnetosphere and upper atmosphere, offering critical insights into Martian climate evolution.

Shares of Rocket Lab (RKLB) rallied 14.6% in Friday morning trading and carved out a new 52-week high of $7.09.