Rocket Lab Electron Rocket and Spacecraft Services

Founded in 2006 by Peter Beck in New Zealand, Rocket Lab has grown into a major international player in the aerospace sector. The company's headquarters are now located in Long Beach, California, reflecting its significant shift into the American market and its partnership with US government agencies. Most of its manufacturing takes place in its high-tech facilities in California and its production base in Auckland.

Rocket Lab is notable for its Electron rocket, a small-satellite launch vehicle produced using advanced carbon-fiber composites and 3D-printed engines. The company operates the world's first private orbital launch site, Launch Complex 1, on the Mahia Peninsula in New Zealand, alongside a secondary launch site at Wallops Island, Virginia. Rocket Lab went public in 2021 through a SPAC merger, reinforcing its status as a leading U.S.-based entity with deep New Zealander heritage.