Rocket Lab successfully completed its 92nd Electron mission on Thursday, deploying an Earth-imaging satellite for Japan’s iQPS. This launch follows an initial attempt on July 1 that was automatically aborted moments before liftoff.
The successful return to flight marks Rocket Lab’s 13th Electron launch of 2026 and its eighth deployment for iQPS. The company has maintained a 100% mission success rate for all iQPS deployments. Rocket Lab has a total of 10 dedicated launches booked for iQPS before 2030, bringing the total contracted missions to 18.
The company is also entering its upcoming earnings report with significant growth contracts. This includes a $397 million Space Force award to build, launch, and operate satellites designed to track airborne threats. Prior to this, Rocket Lab secured a record $266 million contract for 12 suborbital launches, with options for six additional launches.
Analysts tracked by Koyfin are bullish on Rocket Lab’s prospects. The average 12-month price target from 18 analysts is $111.31, representing a 47% upside from the stock’s last closing price. Rocket Lab holds a ‘Strong Buy’ consensus, with 14 analysts recommending a ‘Buy’ and four recommending ‘Hold’, with no sell ratings.
In comparison, AST SpaceMobile, another prominent space stock, is also preparing to report earnings. Analysts expect AST SpaceMobile’s quarterly revenue to surge 133% from the previous quarter to $34.4 million, with its adjusted loss projected to narrow. However, Rocket Lab enters earnings with a substantially larger revenue base, with quarterly sales expected to grow 15% from a quarter ago to $230.94 million. While its adjusted loss is projected to widen, its EBITDA loss is forecast to nearly double to $22.12 million.
Retail investor interest in both space stocks has strengthened, with sentiment toward ASTS and RKLB improving to ‘bullish’ from ‘neutral’ a week prior on Stocktwits. However, Rocket Lab recorded stronger growth in followers, with its watcher base rising 16% over the past three months and 56% over the past year, compared to increases of 12% and 47% for ASTS. Rocket Lab has also outpaced ASTS over both the past year and 2026, gaining 72% and 8% respectively, while ASTS has climbed 30% over 12 months but slipped 7% year-to-date.
Follow-up Questions
What are Rocket Lab's key revenue drivers beyond launch services?
Beyond launch services, Rocket Lab is significantly expanding its space systems business, which includes satellite manufacturing, components, and services. The recent Space Force award for airborne threat tracking satellites and the ongoing work with iQPS highlight this diversification
What is the significance of the 100% mission success rate for iQPS deployments?
A 100% mission success rate for iQPS deployments demonstrates Rocket Lab's reliability and precision in delivering specialized satellite services. This track record is crucial for securing future launch contracts and building trust with clients in the competitive space sector
How does Rocket Lab's revenue growth compare to AST SpaceMobile's?
Rocket Lab is expected to see a 15% revenue growth quarter-over-quarter to $230.94 million, entering earnings with a substantially larger revenue base. In contrast, AST SpaceMobile is projected to have a surge of 133% in quarterly revenue to $34.4 million, indicating a different stage of growth and scale
What is the outlook for Rocket Lab's EBITDA loss?
Rocket Lab's EBITDA loss is forecast to nearly double to $22.12 million, suggesting increased investment in operations and growth initiatives, which is common for companies in the rapidly expanding space sector
Perspectives
Immediate impact vs Next-step context
Story lens
Immediate impact
Rocket Lab Achieves 13th Electron Mission Success Amidst Strong Analyst Outlook and Growth Contracts Rocket Lab's 13th Electron mission success for iQPS, deploying an Earth-imaging satellite, bolsters its strong analyst outlook and significant growth contracts.
Next-step context
The successful return to flight marks Rocket Lab's 13th Electron launch of 2026 and its eighth deployment for iQPS.
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