Rocket Lab USA, Inc. RKLB shares are trading lower in the premarket session on Wednesday.
The company launched its first Electron mission for 2024, a space-junk-focused mission for Spire Global, Inc. SPIR and NorthStar Earth & Space.
The mission also returned the rocket’s first stage after launch as part of Rocket Lab’s plan to evolve Electron into a reusable rocket.
Rocket Lab founder and CEO, Peter Beck, says: “The success of today’s mission to deliver Spire & NorthStar to orbit, and the completion of our secondary mission to return Electron to Earth after launch, has been a fantastic start of what is set to be Rocket Lab’s busiest year ever.”
After launch and stage separation, Electron’s booster returned to Earth under a parachute and splashed down in the Pacific Ocean approximately 17 minutes post lift-off.
“We have more missions booked in 2024 than we’ve ever scheduled before,” Beck added.
Earlier this month, the aerospace and defense company bagged a $515 million deal with the Space Development Agency (SDA) to design and build 18 Tranche 2 Transport Layer-Beta Data Transport Satellites (T2TL – Beta).
The SDA procures satellites in two-year “tranches” to build a proliferated LEO constellation to deliver needed space-based capabilities to the joint warfighter.
Rocket Lab has a backlog of over 40 satellites in development and production.
Rocket Lab satellite technology made its way into over 1,700 satellite missions globally.
Price Action: RKLB shares are trading lower by 2.81% to $4.85 premarket on the last check Wednesday.
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