@AlexfromBabylon Until ASTS actually has significant satellites in orbit I find your analysis pie in the sky. Rklb doesnt need spectrum for satellite comms as it has optical and to send to earth it will use the retailer’s spectrum.
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Brett Hayvice
1.5K posts
$RKLB Things will get interesting now.
On the hand Rocket Lab has the most complete inhouse satellite system in the world, but on the other hand for satcom it is lacking the payload. It’s the most important element of any satellite system. It’s the reason WHY. People buy for the payload.
Case in point AST would be worth 1-2B without the payload, with its $30B+ today.
Homegrown development would take 3-5 years. My bet is Equatys constellation plus call option on the equity via investment. Whether that constellation fails or not is
not super relevant. Rocket Lab will make money on it anyway. That said being dependent on legacy Viasat for the payload to compete with AST, SpaceX and Amazon is a little scary. Viasat is already losing in fixed broadband. What will be different this time? And will they be around in 2-3 years? TBD. Rocket Lab will hedge by minimal equity and maximum constellation production orders for Flatellite.
Megaconstellations 🌍📡🛰️🛰️🛰️🛰️🛰️🛰️@Megaconstellati
@mottbox_ Peter has been talking about their own constellation for a while now, but neither have they secured any payload other than yet to be proven LCTs nor spectrum (if they were to provide satcoms). x.com/i/status/19883…
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@FranciscoSpace5 The st-hv is version 3.4 2026 while the st-rt is version 3.2 2025. The ST-HP is version 0.6 March 2026.
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$RKLB
Looks like the star trackers got a really nice upgrade. They also look 👀 better.
I’m sure SPB told them they needed to make them more beautiful. They two pictures on the left are the latest version
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@AB4dmq @BJamesom @NASASpaceflight Size isn’t everything. F9 will look antiquated once Neutron starts launching. Starship will win the size battle but its Neutron that will bring the cost of launch possible for many more companies and governments.
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@BJamesom @NASASpaceflight Rocket lab launches 200 KG payloads into space
Do you want to guess how much other companies take to space?
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@FranciscoSpace5 Those in for a quickie and then there are those committing to a longer term relationship 🙂
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So let me get this right…
$RKLB does two 100% successful launches back to back one HASTE for DOW and one for JAXA and the stock goes down 🤔 WTH 🤦🏻♂️ others do one launch a year and the stock doubles.
Rocket Lab@RocketLab
MISSION SUCCESS! Payload deployment confirmed for "Kakushin Rising" on our 87th Electron launch. Congratulations @JAXA_en and welcome to orbit once again 🛰️
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@will__hall1 @RocketLab @NASAWallops @Virginia_Space Nice composition: I always take that faster high iso shot of the foreground to blend if needed.
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A little wind wobble on the tripod. Last nights @RocketLab HASTE launch from @NASAWallops.
#Rocketlab $rklb #HASTE #HYPERSONIC
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$RKLB One of the eight satellites launched on JAXA mission today is called Prelude… fascinating science looking to detect earthquakes:
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@CptWhatsHisName @chronocarta Mostly because NZ colonised Australia in modern times - not officially but most of the best of Aussies are actually Kiwis 😀
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People don't realize how far New Zealand is from Australia.
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@RocketLab Fun fact: the colours reverse in the second rainbow!
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Whoa that’s a full rainbow, all the way, double rainbow ohmygod, it’s a double rainbow all the way
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@Staudinger333 @RocketLab Neutron will be a game changer in reusability bringing space access within financial reach of many more companies and governments.
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$RKLB: Coming back to this post.
People often say that @RocketLab is a mini SpaceX. I agree for the most part, especially given that they're both vertically integrated, but there are key areas where they differ.
One of the biggest engineering differences is with their medium launch vehicle, Neutron. Specifically, the idea to encapsulate the second stage inside the first.
No other company or government has dared such a design. The second stage has always been positioned on top of the first, and the fairings are often separated from the second stage in order to deploy the payload.
Suspending the second stage inside the first stage is a next-level move that, if successful, will redefine how reusable rockets and second stages are designed and implemented.
The overall point of this post being that RL is not a copy cat, but rather a company that prides itself on thinking independently and executing quickly. All of which represents a culture that trickles down from Sir @Peter_J_Beck.
Rocket Lab@RocketLab
Traditional rocket fairings fall away as part of the launch process, making them either expendable or requiring recovery assets to capture and reuse them. Neutron rethinks this equation with the Hungry Hippo fairing. It stays attached to Neutron’s first stage, opening to release stage two and the payload during launch, before closing up and landing as complete unit with stage one, ready to launch again. It's all part of driving down launch cost and increasing launch cadence to give constellations better access to orbit.
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@BrettHayvice @JacobKeeton20 @AstroForge Safran has a 1300W thruster and this is not it. They might be able to push the PPS-X00 to that level with some fancy electronics but I would be really surprised if they did.
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“More data, more better.” Our team is back at it with additional hot fire testing of our Hall-effect thrusters to continue to buy down risk ahead of launch later this year.
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@lougrims @JacobKeeton20 @AstroForge Oh OK - I thought Astroforge thruster is primary propulsion around 1.2kw?
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@BrettHayvice @JacobKeeton20 @AstroForge No, this is a sub KW design. Astroforge stuff is pretty small and light.
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@JacobKeeton20 @AstroForge @lougrims Two different design purposes: Astroforge will be in the kw power range for deep space astroid missions. Its main propulsion vs satellite station keeping.
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@AstroForge Maybe @lougrims has a minute to explain some of the differences here vs. Gauss? 🙏
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@Muzznzer @RocketLab Do you think yhey open wider than that?
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Oh wow, finally that look inside I've been hanging out for.
Separation system to pour over for hours.🤤
Thank you so much @RocketLab
Rocket Lab@RocketLab
Traditional rocket fairings fall away as part of the launch process, making them either expendable or requiring recovery assets to capture and reuse them. Neutron rethinks this equation with the Hungry Hippo fairing. It stays attached to Neutron’s first stage, opening to release stage two and the payload during launch, before closing up and landing as complete unit with stage one, ready to launch again. It's all part of driving down launch cost and increasing launch cadence to give constellations better access to orbit.
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@Gykiwi03 Maybe but he has also said when asked that its not on the cards for Electron… maybe after Neutron bedded in.
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@BrettHayvice I believe they are in the process of re customizing Electron by details in their employment opportunities. SPB is very environmentally conscious, one of the areas in NZ gov'ts extending launch licenses approached sea landings/ full recovery.
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$RKLB 🌏🇳🇿🇺🇲🇦🇺🇨🇦🇩🇪🇬🇧🇰🇷🇯🇵...
While Rocket Lab continues to improve Electron's reusability, particularly with ocean recovery, may we see a baby "hungry hippo." 🦛🚀.
The pinnacle of innovation 👇
Rocket Lab@RocketLab
Traditional rocket fairings fall away as part of the launch process, making them either expendable or requiring recovery assets to capture and reuse them. Neutron rethinks this equation with the Hungry Hippo fairing. It stays attached to Neutron’s first stage, opening to release stage two and the payload during launch, before closing up and landing as complete unit with stage one, ready to launch again. It's all part of driving down launch cost and increasing launch cadence to give constellations better access to orbit.
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@Gykiwi03 But the point is they customised them to fit the payload. Their standard fairing couldn’t fit it.
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@BrettHayvice They look cool, though the industry and requirements are evolving towards full reusability.
I prefer to protect the environment over looks.
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Traditional rocket fairings fall away as part of the launch process, making them either expendable or requiring recovery assets to capture and reuse them. Neutron rethinks this equation with the Hungry Hippo fairing.
It stays attached to Neutron’s first stage, opening to release stage two and the payload during launch, before closing up and landing as complete unit with stage one, ready to launch again. It's all part of driving down launch cost and increasing launch cadence to give constellations better access to orbit.
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