SpaceX has competition in the form of space startup Rocket Lab, as the firm plans an ambitious Venus mission, develops a rocket that can send humans into space and also launch mega-constellation satellites into orbit.
This move comes off the back of a $4.1 billion listing on the Nasdaq exchange that has allowed the California firm to move away from small-scale satellite launches.
Founder, CEO and CTO of Rocket Lab, Peter Beck, told MailOnline the goal is to bring down the cost of getting small satellites into space, and make it cheaper for universities to send experiments to the moon, Mars and Venus.
They didn’t take off in NZ but cashed-up shells are all the rage in the US.
If you like lucky dips, Christmas presents and blind dates, you’ll love special purpose acquisition companies.
It’s like having a personal shopper, only for investments. You give them some money and they use it to buy you something absolutely to die for, darling.
You can imagine the excitement of investors in the Vector Acquisition Corp Spac in the US who learned this week they would be shareholders in spaceship company Rocket Lab.
As lucky dips go, it’s a cracker.
Rocket Lab, founded by New Zealander Peter Beck, must be one of the most exciting companies on the planet.
Space startup Rocket Lab is taking on Elon Musk s SpaceX with a huge new reusable rocket called Neutron that could be used to transport humans to space.
The California and New Zealand based firm has merged with a special-purpose acquisition company to go public, valuing the joint venture at $4.1 billion.
Rocket Lab will use its new position and a $740 million cash balance to develop the new 8-Ton Neutron rocket that can launch mega-constellations of satellites.
The Neutron rocket will be 40 metres tall, have a reusable first stage and capable of taking up to 8,000 kg of material to orbit on each flight.