Rocket Lab $RKLB ( ▲ 9.84% ) is adding to last week’s surge, up about 4% in premarket trading Monday after already jumping roughly 18% on Friday. The move follows a landmark $816 million contract with the US Space Development Agency, the largest single deal in the company’s history, to design and manufacture 18 satellites for the agency’s Tracking Layer.
CEO Peter Beck highlighted Rocket Lab’s vertically integrated model, noting the company is one of the only commercial players building both spacecraft and payloads fully in house. That combination of speed, cost control, and resilience is increasingly attractive as defense and space agencies look to scale constellations faster.
Launch cadence is becoming a real edge
Rocket Lab also announced Monday that it successfully completed its 21st Electron launch of 2025, capping the year with a 100% mission success rate for its flagship rocket. That makes Electron the most frequently launched small-lift orbital rocket in the world this year, according to the company. Seven of those missions were for Japanese Earth imaging firm iQPS, with five more Electron launches already planned for iQPS in 2026.
The steady launch rhythm matters. Reliable cadence and repeat customers help turn Rocket Lab from a story stock into a systems and services business with growing visibility.
Space optimism lifting peers too
The broader space trade is catching a bid as well. Satellite peer AST SpaceMobile $ASTS ( ▲ 12.01% ) is up another 4% early Monday after gaining about 15% on Friday. Investors are positioning ahead of ASTS’s BlueBird 6 launch, scheduled for December 23, 2025, which is a key milestone for its direct-to-smartphone strategy.
Taken together, strong contract wins, proven execution, and upcoming launches are giving investors fresh reasons to lean back into space names heading into year-end.