From the Editor's Desk

Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck Explains Why His Space Company Thinks Different

Rocket Lab, one of the most interesting companies among the cluster of “new space” businesses upending the process of flying satellites to orbit, stands out from its rivals by being partly based on the other side of the planet in New Zealand. Its CEO Peter Beck also stands out from other space entrepreneurs for his sense of humor. In 2021 he famously ate a hat on camera because he’d once promised investors his company wouldn’t pursue making bigger rockets. Until it did, prompting his unusual meal. 

Beck’s company is clearly on the ascent. Earlier this week it pulled off a startling success when it launched two Electron rockets inside 24 hours from two launchpads in two different hemispheres. On Monday the company also won a portion of a nearly $60 million CHIPS grant to build high-efficiency radiation resistant solar cells useful for powering spacecraft. And Rocket Lab may also only be months away from launching its big Neutron rocket, an effort to rival rockets from SpaceX, the Elon Musk-led commercial space company that’s captured a commanding share of the 21st Century rocket launch business. 


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