LONG BEACH, Calif., Jan. 29, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rocket Lab Corporation (Nasdaq: RKLB) ("Rocket Lab" or "the Company"), a global leader in launch services and space systems, today successfully launched its 81st Electron rocket and second launch in eight days to deploy a satellite for an Earth-observation constellation by the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Korea's leading university dedicated to science and technology.
'Bridging The Swarm' lifted off on January 30th at 2:21 p.m. NZDT (01:21 UTC) from Rocket Lab's private orbital launch site, Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand, to deploy the NEONSAT-1A satellite to a 540 km low Earth orbit. NEONSAT-1A is an advanced Earth observation satellite that will test the capabilities of the South Korean government's future constellation of NEONSAT satellites to monitor natural disasters and national security events along the Korean Peninsula. The first satellite of this constellation, NEONSAT-1, was deployed by Rocket Lab in 2024 on a mission called 'Beginning of The Swarm'.
Rocket Lab founder and CEO, Sir Peter Beck, says: "Two launches in eight days is a strong start to the year that speaks volumes about the demand for Electron and the excellence and dedication of the Rocket Lab team. We cemented our position as the leader in reliable and responsive launch with our record-breaking year of launches in 2025, and these latest launches show we're gearing up for an even busier launch year in 2026."
"Bridging The Swarm" was Rocket Lab's second mission of 2026 and 81st launch overall. Upcoming launches in 2026 include missions for commercial Earth observation, international space agencies, national security, and hypersonic technology development.
Rocket Lab Media Contact
Murielle Baker
media@rocketlabusa.com
About Rocket Lab
About Rocket Lab Rocket Lab is a leading space company that provides launch services, spacecraft, payloads and satellite components serving commercial, government, and national security markets. Rocket Lab's Electron rocket is the world's most frequently launched orbital small rocket; its HASTE rocket provides hypersonic test launch capability for the U.S. government and allied nations; and its Neutron launch vehicle in development will unlock medium launch for constellation deployment, national security and exploration missions. Rocket Lab's spacecraft and satellite components have enabled more than 1,700 missions spanning commercial, defense and national security missions including GPS, constellations, and exploration missions to the Moon, Mars, and Venus. Rocket Lab is a publicly listed company on the Nasdaq stock exchange (RKLB). Learn more at www.rocketlabcorp.com.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We intend such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"). All statements contained in this press release other than statements of historical fact, including, without limitation, statements regarding our launch and space systems operations, launch schedule and window, safe and repeatable access to space, Neutron development, operational expansion and business strategy, are forward-looking statements. The words "believe," "may," "will," "estimate," "potential," "continue," "anticipate," "intend," "expect," "strategy," "future," "could," "would," "project," "plan," "target," and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, though not all forward-looking statements use these words or expressions. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including but not limited to the factors, risks and uncertainties included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, as such factors may be updated from time to time in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), accessible on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov and the Investor Relations section of our website at https://investors.rocketlabcorp.com which could cause our actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements made in this press release. Any such forward-looking statements represent management's estimates as of the date of this press release. While we may elect to update such forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we disclaim any obligation to do so, even if subsequent events cause our views to change.
