Rocket Lab

Rocket Lab Ltd. is an American aerospace company headquartered in Los Angeles, California. It has a subsidiary office headquartered in Auckland, New Zealand. It is developing the 'Electron' rocket for high-frequency rocket launches with low mass payload to Earth orbit.

History

Rocket Lab was founded as a New Zealand firm. As of mid-2014, media sources continued to refer to Rocket Lab as a New Zealand company.

Former Crown Research scientist Peter Beck is its founder, CEO and Technical Director. Internet entrepreneur Mark Rocket was the seed investor and co-Director from 2007 to 2011.

In December 2010 Rocket Lab was awarded a US contract from the Operationally Responsive Space Office (ORS) to study a low cost space launcher to place nanosatellites into orbit.

Funding has been obtained from Bessemer Venture Partners, Callaghan Innovation, in 2014, and from Khosla Ventures in 2013.

In February 2015, Rocket Lab USA was evaluating Cape Canaveral Air Force Station as a possible launch site.