Rocket Lab USA Inc.Planned acquisition of Iridium and onboarding to Space Force program.
Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck said the company's planned $8 billion acquisition of Iridium Communications will expand its satellite communications business without directly competing with Elon Musk's Starlink or Amazon's Leo. In a CNN interview, Beck emphasized Iridium's L-band spectrum, which can penetrate bad weather and buildings, and said Rocket Lab could eventually provide something new and unique that hasn't been seen before. He also highlighted defense opportunities and the ability to replace damaged satellites within hours using a low-Earth orbit constellation. The news comes as Rocket Lab was onboarded to the United States Space Force's NITE-STAR program, a $981 million contract vehicle supporting space test and training infrastructure.
Rocket Lab USA Inc.Planned acquisition of Iridium and onboarding to Space Force program.
Iridium Communications IncAcquisition by Rocket Lab at $8 billion, expanding its satellite business.
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