Rocket Lab USA (RKLB, Financial) just gave investors a lot to celebrate. After smashing its Q3 results, the stock shot up 37%, with revenue up 55% year-over-year to $105 million. CEO Sir Peter Beck didn't hold back, calling the quarter a major win for their “end-to-end space strategy.” And he's not wrong—this year has been a record-breaker for Rocket Lab with 12 Electron launches so far, $55 million in new contracts, and a $1.05 billion backlog. Oh, and they're teaming up with NASA on a world-first Mars sample return mission. For Q4, they're guiding for up to $135 million in revenue. Translation? This rocket isn't landing anytime soon.
Electron is crushing it as one of the most-launched rockets on the planet, with pricing up 67% since its debut. But the real buzz is around their next-gen Neutron rocket, which just landed a big deal to deploy an entire satellite constellation. Neutron's Archimedes engine is in overdrive too, with double the testing cadence this quarter. And let's not forget the Space Systems division, delivering spacecraft for NASA's ESCAPADE mission to Mars and in-space manufacturing projects with Varda Space Industries. Rocket Lab isn't just flying rockets—it's building a diversified space empire.
So why all the hype? Rocket Lab is lining itself up for a shot at the U.S. Space Force's $5.6 billion National Security Space Launch program, with proposals opening this month. Investors are also betting on a blockbuster Q4 as more Electron launches hit the books. With defense contracts piling up and groundbreaking missions in the pipeline, Rocket Lab has officially put itself at the heart of the booming space economy. This stock's trajectory? Straight up.
