Space economy · FULL DEEP TRACKER
A living evidence file separating Rocket Lab’s operating New Zealand launch and manufacturing platform from global group revenue, backlog, contracts and expansion—and testing how much enduring value remains in New Zealand.
WHY IT MATTERS
Rocket Lab is New Zealand’s strongest deep-tech scale-up precedent and a rare end-to-end aerospace platform spanning launch, vehicle production, mission control, propulsion testing and advanced composites. The national test is whether global growth continues to deepen New Zealand engineering, suppliers, intellectual property, skilled employment, launch activity and taxable economic value.
CURRENT ASSESSMENT
Rocket Lab confirms that Auckland manufactures, assembles and prepares Electron and hosts global Mission Control; Māhia hosts Launch Complex 1 and two launch pads; Waikato supports Rutherford engine testing and propulsion research; and Warkworth produces carbon composites. In February 2026 the company acquired long-time supplier Precision Components Limited, established a New Zealand precision-machining complex and began expanding the Māhia vehicle hangar to process up to three launch vehicles in parallel.
On 21 August, Electron mission 93 launched from Māhia and deployed an iQPS QPS-SAR satellite. Rocket Lab identified it as the fourteenth Electron launch of 2026 and the ninth successful iQPS deployment, with nine further dedicated iQPS launches booked through 2030. This is direct evidence of New Zealand-site cadence and repeat customer demand, but it still does not disclose New Zealand revenue or margin.
EVIDENCE GATES
Launch Complex 1 is Rocket Lab’s private orbital range and has two New Zealand launch pads. Mission 93 launched successfully from Māhia on 21 August 2026; site opportunity and regulatory ceilings must still not be reported as completed launch cadence.
Rocket Lab states that Auckland manufactures, assembles and prepares Electron launch vehicles and hosts the company’s global Mission Control.
The Waikato site conducts Rutherford engine testing and other propulsion research and development.
Warkworth supports carbon-composite production for Electron and carbon-composite development for Neutron.
Rocket Lab acquired Precision Components Limited in February 2026, established a New Zealand machining complex and announced a Māhia hangar expansion for up to three vehicles in parallel.
The New Zealand Space Agency regulates launch facilities and launches. Rocket Lab says amended permissions lift its ceiling to 1,000 launches, but this is neither demand nor actual annual cadence.
Rocket Lab reported Q2 2026 revenue of US$234 million and backlog of US$2.36 billion. Neither figure is segmented to New Zealand operations.
No reviewed primary source provides New Zealand-only revenue, profit, tax, employment, supplier spend, capital expenditure or launch count by site.
CAPACITY RECONCILIATION
Rocket Lab identifies mission 93 as its fourteenth Electron launch of 2026. Mission 93 is explicitly assigned to Māhia; the company does not provide a complete New Zealand-versus-US site split for the year-to-date total.
Rocket Lab markets up to 120 annual launch opportunities at LC-1. Opportunity is scheduling potential—not completed launches or contracted demand.
The company says updated New Zealand permissions increased the launch ceiling tenfold. This is a permission envelope, not physical throughput, bookings or forecast cadence.
DELIVERY & OPERATING STACK
VERIFIED TIMELINE
STAKEHOLDER MAP
DEPENDENCIES
RISKS & OPEN QUESTIONS
CORE EVIDENCE REGISTER