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.
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).
Source: Rocket Lab
