ROCKET LAB ENTERS THE SPACE TELCO RACE

ROCKET LAB ENTERS THE SPACE TELCO RACE

Rocket Lab has officially transitioned from a launch provider to a full-scale space applications player with an $8 billion deal to build satellites for Iridium.

Source: https://payloadspace.com/rocket-lab-enters-the-satcom-market-with-8b-iridium-deal/

My Take

This move signals a significant shift in the 'Space Stack,' pricing that the space sector is moving quickly towards commercialization, and importantly, towards becoming the backbone of our daily lives,

Where SpaceX is building its Starlink constellations from scratch, this deal is about Rocket Lab building its own constellations using Iridium's existing technology.

Launch and satellite manufacturing are converging. By controlling both the 'upstream' launch vehicle and the 'midstream' satellite bus, they are vertically integrating to deliver a seamless service, which is exactly how we transition from space as emerging capability to space as reliable, invisible infrastructure.

We have long believed that space-based data, communications, logistics, etc will drive our global economy, but between SpaceX and Rocket Lab alone, we can see how we are starting to build the utility grids of the future.

My Book

If you're curious about how rocket launches and satellites function, and how this $8 billion deal connects to the unseen infrastructure powering navigation, finance, and global broadband—all soaring above us at 17,000 mph—be sure to check out my book *Everything Is Flying* at www.everythingisflying.com.