Rocket Lab's Two Mars-Bound Spacecraft Arrive in Florida Ahead of Launch
LONG BEACH, Calif., Sept. 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rocket Lab Corporation (NASDAQ:RKLB) ("Rocket Lab" or "the Company"), a leading launch and space systems company, delivered two Explorer-class spacecraft to Kennedy Space Flight Center for NASA's Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers (ESCAPADE) mission, in partnership with the University of California, Berkeley's Space Sciences Laboratory.
Last year Rocket Lab completed the design, build, integration, and testing of the twin spacecraft, named Blue and Gold, in just three and a half years, an accelerated timeline for a Mars mission. This achievement was made possible by Rocket Lab's mature spacecraft manufacturing experience and its vertically integrated supply chain, which brings production of critical components like solar arrays, star trackers, propellant tanks, reaction wheels, radios, flight software, and more, in-house. ESCAPADE is based on Rocket Lab's Explorer spacecraft platform, a configurable, high delta-V interplanetary variant of the Company's advanced family of spacecraft.
ESCAPADE is part of NASA's Small Innovative Missions for Planetary Exploration (SIMPLEx) program, designed to deliver high-value planetary science at lower cost and on faster timelines. ESCAPADE will deliver critical Mars science at a fraction of the cost and time of traditional billion-dollar missions.
During a 22-month cruise to Mars, Blue and Gold will travel together before entering complementary elliptical orbits around the planet to conduct their science campaigns. The spacecraft will simultaneously capture data from two regions of Mars' magnetosphere. This unique two-point measurement will allow scientists to understand how the solar wind strips atoms from Mars' atmosphere, offering insight into the planet's atmospheric escape history and space weather environment, and informing future human exploration strategies.
Rocket Lab founder and CEO, Sir Peter Beck, says: "ESCAPADE is a perfect example of why Rocket Lab exists – to make ambitious space science faster and more affordable. Delivering two interplanetary spacecraft on schedule and within budget for a Mars mission is no small feat, and it speaks to the determination and agility of our team. They've proven that we can take a concept from design to Mars readiness in just a few short years. This won't be Rocket Lab's last time at Mars, with concepts like the Mars Telecommunications Orbiter on the horizon, we're laying the groundwork for more complex, capable, and essential missions that will support future human exploration."
Rob Lillis, ESCAPADE Principal Investigator and Associate Director for Planetary Science at the UC Berkeley Space Sciences Laboratory, says: "It's been a long road, but we are so excited to be launching Blue & Gold on their mission to understand the Martian space weather environment. Through the usual ups and downs, Rocket Lab has been right alongside NASA and UC Berkeley, supporting us every step of the way on this interplanetary journey."
Upon arrival at Kennedy Space Center, Rocket Lab engineers will conduct post-transport inspections and functional tests in the cleanroom before propellant loading and vehicle integration. Launch is scheduled to occur no earlier than this fall on Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket.
+ Rocket Lab Media Contact
Lindsay McLaurin
[email protected]
+ 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 www.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.
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