NASA contracts Rocket Lab for three Electron missions
The United States space agency NASA has awarded Rocket Lab three launch contracts for its Electron launch vehicle in 2027. The missions will carry two separate scientific payloads into orbit.
The selection follows a competitive solicitation that evaluated multiple providers of low‑cost small‑satellite launch services. Rocket Lab’s proven Electron system, which has already delivered a variety of commercial and government payloads, was deemed the most suitable.
The upcoming science missions target distinct research objectives. The first payload will gather Earth‑observation data to support climate‑change studies, while the second will focus on measurements of the near‑Earth space environment to improve space‑weather forecasting.
- Launch windows: projected for spring, summer and autumn 2027
- Vehicle: Electron, capable of delivering up to 300 kg to a 500 km circular orbit
- NASA partners: Goddard Space Flight Center, Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Rocket Lab will conduct the launches from its launch site on the Mahia Peninsula in New Zealand and will continue to recover the first stage in the Pacific Ocean, enhancing mission sustainability.
This contract reinforces Rocket Lab’s role as a leading small‑sat launch provider and deepens its collaboration with NASA on scientific spaceflight initiatives.