Rocket Lab Completes Spacecraft for Cryogenic Fueling Mission with Eta Space and NASA

Rocket Lab's LOXSAT Spacecraft for Eta Space

LONG BEACH, Calif., Oct. 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rocket Lab Corporation (Nasdaq: RKLB) (“Rocket Lab” or “the Company”), a global leader in launch services and space systems, today announced the clearance of their Systems Integration Review (SIR) and completion of their Photon spacecraft for Eta Space and NASA’s LOXSAT mission. LOXSAT is an on-orbit technology demonstration of a cryogenic fluid management system, that will inform the design of Cryo-Dock, a full-scale cryogenic propellant depot in low Earth orbit to be operational in 2030.

The SIR, completed in September, marked a key milestone for the program, allowing the team to proceed with payload integration. Rocket Lab will now move the mission into environmental testing – the next phase before its launch on Electron in early 2026.

Rocket Lab was selected in 2020 by Eta Space to provide both the spacecraft and its Electron launch vehicle for the LOXSAT mission, joining a growing list of spacecraft-plus-launch mission solutions supported by the Company, including the CAPSTONE lunar mission for NASA and the upcoming VICTUS HAZE mission for the U.S. Space Force. Rocket Lab’s end-to-end capabilities simplify mission execution and minimize cost and schedule risks, providing customers with a single, responsive space solutions partner for a wide range of mission objectives.

“We're proud to be both the spacecraft and launch provider for LOXSAT and for the opportunity to show Rocket Lab’s true end-to-end space systems capabilities,” said Brad Clevenger, Vice President of Space Systems. “With LOXSAT, we’re supporting a critical technology demonstration that will enable key steps toward making orbital propellant depots a reality. The ability to refuel in space is fundamental to unlocking reusable and sustainable exploration beyond Earth’s orbit. With the spacecraft build and payload integration complete, our team is focused on environmental testing ahead of its launch on Electron.”

“We are excited to reach this milestone”, said Bill Notardonato, CEO of Eta Space. “We chose Rocket Lab as a launch provider based on their proven Electron rocket and the chance to have a dedicated launch to our exact orbit on our schedule. But their spacecraft experience and payload hosting services have proven to be just as valuable as launch services for our project success.”   

Despite being one of the most efficient and energetic propellants for spacecraft, cryogenic propellants can vaporize as temperature rises, causing critical loss on orbit. LOXSAT will test the ability to store liquid oxygen (LOX) in a zero-loss configuration, with the goal of creating a larger scale model in the future that could serve as a commercial cryogenic propellant depot in space. This would enable reuse and refueling of spacecraft on orbit.

The basis of the spacecraft is the Company’s Photon platform, which gained flight heritage in 2022 with NASA’s CAPSTONE mission to the Moon. LOXSAT was designed and built using Rocket Lab’s vertically integrated components and systems, including star trackers, propulsion systems, reaction wheels, solar panels, flight software, radios, composite structures, tanks, separation systems, and more. The spacecraft was produced and will undergo environmental testing at the Company’s Spacecraft Production Complex and headquarters in Long Beach, California, and will ultimately be launched from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand.

The LOXSAT mission is sponsored by NASA’s Tipping Point program that aims to advance technologies that could support human space exploration in the future.

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.

About Eta Space
Eta Space is a technology development company founded in 2019 by former NASA personnel. Named after the Greek letter η — symbolizing efficiency — Eta Space develops advanced cryogenic systems for space exploration and the future hydrogen energy economy. From the lunar surface to local airports, Eta Space is Fueling Future Exploration with cutting-edge solutions that push the boundaries of efficiency and innovation. Learn more at etaspace.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.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c903d28a-6e71-4738-8ff9-81d07f9463d2