Overview
- Shares rose roughly 10% on heavy volume and about 30% for the week, with trading patterns suggesting institutional buying and some short covering.
- Rocket Lab said the Neutron rocket’s reusable “Hungry Hippo” captive fairing passed qualification, including withstanding 275,000 pounds of force and opening in about 1.5 seconds, with hardware moving to U.S. integration.
- The company stood down a KAIST Electron mission to review sensor data, while the JAXA “RAISE and Shine” Electron launch is targeted for Dec. 13 from Mahia, pending conditions.
- Rocket Lab reported a C$1 million Canadian Space Agency grant to develop a reaction wheel for larger 500–1,000 kg satellites, highlighting growth in its higher‑margin space‑systems business.
- Analysts note the rally also reflects sector enthusiasm tied to reports of a potential SpaceX IPO, even as valuations for RKLB screen rich with a price‑to‑sales ratio above 50.