Rocket Lab craft varied missions
August 18, 2026

By Chris Forrester



Rocket Lab has confirmed that the eight satellites launched by SpaceX on August 16th were constructed for MDA Space, and the customer was Amazon Leo which is in the process of buying Globalstar (for $11.57 billion [€10bn]) but the end destination is to supplement the Apple direct-to-device (D2D) service for its iPhone users.

Apple paid about $1.5 billion to Globalstar in order to expand the iPhone service in 2024.


The scheme is now for Amazon/Globalstar to build a system that rivals Starlink.

Rocket Lab built the satellites at its Long Beach, California facility using its ‘Lightning’ design. Rocket Lab, which released its results earlier in August, reported that during Q2 it generated $189.5 million from its Space Services division, up 38.6 percent on Q1.

Rocket Lab says that each of the eight Globalstar satellites are communicating, generating power, and performing nominally. Rocket Lab’s founder and CEO, Sir Peter Beck said: “We’re positioned to be the partner of choice for the constellation economy.”

Rocket Lab’s contract with MDA represented a contract win of $143 million. Rocket Lab has a backlog of $2.35 billion. The company is acquiring Iridium Communications in a deal which should close mid-2027 and will add Iridium’s 66-satellite system to Rocket Lab and annual revenues of some $870 million. Rocket Lab also bought German-based laser communications specialist Mynaric.

On August 17th, Viasat confirmed that it has selected Rocket Lab to build the core elements of a geostationary satellite for the US Space Force. Viasat and Rocket Lab will partner on delivery of manoeuverable, anti-jam satellite for national security missions. Rocket Lab will deliver a GEO configuration of its high-performance Lightning spacecraft platform to host Viasat’s dual-band X/Ka-band payload. Lightning-GEO features a high-power architecture built with Rocket Lab’s own vertically integrated components and subsystems, including tracking, telemetry, and command (TT&C) radios, solar power, star trackers, reaction wheels, flight and ground software, and more.