Rocket Lab posts record revenue, eyes Trump's 'Golden Dome' missile shield contract
New Zealand-founded space company Rocket Lab reported record first-quarter revenue of 188 million dollars. Founder Peter Beck said Trump's 175-billion-dollar 'Golden Dome' missile-shield programme would be the next big wave of US defence spending.
From its Auckland headquarters, Rocket Lab said revenue rose 36% year on year and that its space-systems backlog had topped 1 billion dollars. The net loss narrowed to 41 million dollars, while the maiden launch of the medium-class Neutron rocket is now slated for the fourth quarter of 2026.
Founder Peter Beck said the Pentagon has begun early-stage tenders for the 'Golden Dome' programme and that the company's Photon satellite bus and constellation expertise match the roughly 1,000-spacecraft architecture envisaged by US planners.
Rocket Lab shares closed 11% higher on Nasdaq, while the New Zealand dollar gained 0.3% against the US dollar. Citigroup raised its price target from 32 to 41 dollars; New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon described the programme as 'a geo-economic gift'.
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