Rocket Lab expands into Europe with new German manufacturing hub

Rocket Lab has established Rocket Lab Germany GmbH in Munich to serve as a strategic hub for European space manufacturing. This expansion follows the company’s acquisition of Mynaric AG, a specialist in optical laser communication terminals. The new German entity aims to produce satellites, payloads, and components to support the growing demand for commercial, defense, and national security constellations in Europe.

In a related development, Rocket Lab has signed a launch agreement with Canada’s Kepler Communications. The contract specifies that Kepler will use Rocket Lab’s upcoming Neutron rocket for dedicated launches of its next-generation satellite constellation starting in 2028. This move provides Kepler with greater flexibility regarding schedules and orbital injection compared to previous rideshare arrangements.

Separately, Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA) has reported a delay in the first orbital launch attempt of its RFA ONE rocket. During testing at the SaxaVord Spaceport in Scotland, engineers identified an issue with the vehicle's tanks. While the specific nature of the problem has not been disclosed, the company has de-stacked the vehicle for further investigation and remains hopeful of conducting a flight later this year.