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Rocket Lab wins $397 million Space Force contract for Flatellite satellites
The award depends on Rocket Lab's Neutron rocket, whose first flight has slipped to late 2026 after a Stage 1 tank failure tied to a third-party hand layup defect.
Rocket Lab has won a $397 million contract from the U.S. Space Force to launch, develop, and operate satellites for a next-generation airborne target-tracking system, under the Space-Based Airborne Moving Target Indicator program, according to Yahoo Finance.
The deal centers on the company’s Flatellite satellite platform, which uses a flat-panel design aimed at large constellations and is equipped with space-based sensors and low-latency communications. Rocket Lab will also manage satellite operations from secure facilities and provide tracking data to the Space Force.
While the contract expands Rocket Lab’s government portfolio, including work for NASA, Space Force, DARPA, and the National Reconnaissance Office, the timing is tied to Neutron, Rocket Lab’s next-generation rocket. Neutron has not yet completed its first flight, and it is now expected to debut in late 2026 after multiple delays.
Yahoo Finance also notes that Neutron’s latest schedule shift stems from a Stage 1 tank failure linked to a third-party hand layup defect, a development that has raised concerns about whether the satellite launch plan stays on track.