Key Highlights
- RKLB shares have climbed nearly 10%, recapturing both the 20-day and 50-day moving averages following a ~27% decline from recent highs
- The Long Beach-based space firm finalized its $155.3M Mynaric purchase, gaining laser optical communications technology and its inaugural European presence
- Rocket Lab introduced “Gauss,” an electric satellite propulsion system backed by manufacturing capacity exceeding 200 units annually
- Citigroup elevated RKLB to Outperform from Market Perform on April 14; Cantor Fitzgerald maintains an $85 target price
- The space sector ETF (UFO) has surged over 30% year-to-date, partially driven by SpaceX IPO rumors
Rocket Lab has experienced a whirlwind stretch. The space technology company finalized a significant acquisition, introduced an innovative propulsion product, and secured a positive analyst revision — all while shares advanced nearly 10%.
RKLB has surged more than 200% over the past twelve months and currently holds a market capitalization near $40.7 billion. Following a roughly 27% retreat from its 52-week peak, the stock has successfully regained both its 50-day and 20-day simple moving averages. It continues to trade above its 200-day SMA.
Market observers are closely monitoring the $78 threshold. A decisive break above this level could indicate the beginning of another upward trajectory.
Rocket Lab Finalizes Mynaric Acquisition
On April 14, Rocket Lab finalized its purchase of Mynaric for a total price of $155.3 million — structured through a modest cash payment and approximately 2.28 million RKLB shares.
Mynaric specializes in laser optical communications terminals, a specialized yet increasingly essential component of satellite infrastructure. This transaction establishes Rocket Lab’s inaugural European footprint while strengthening its capacity to support commercial constellation operators and national security clients.
The deal represents another milestone in Rocket Lab’s comprehensive strategy to evolve beyond launch operations and establish itself as a complete space systems provider. The company has consistently targeted components of the satellite supply chain that face scaling challenges, then developing or acquiring the necessary capabilities to address those shortfalls.
Gauss Thruster Addresses Critical Supply Chain Gap
The second major development was the introduction of Gauss, an innovative electric satellite thruster engineered for mass production. Electric propulsion has historically represented a significant constraint in the satellite supply chain — dependable systems haven’t been accessible at the scale required by contemporary constellation operators.
Gauss is positioned to resolve this challenge. Rocket Lab has already established a production facility capable of manufacturing more than 200 thrusters annually. CEO Sir Peter Beck stated directly: “Proliferated constellations are now the norm, but the propulsion systems needed to maneuver these spacecraft in orbit have simply not been reliably available at any kind of scale.”
The thruster incorporates a Hall Thruster, Power Processing Unit, and Propellant Management Assembly. It operates on xenon, with krypton available as an alternative propellant. The architecture delivers higher specific impulse compared to chemical propulsion, enabling spacecraft to reduce fuel mass while preserving performance during extended missions and station-keeping operations.
Technical capabilities include heaterless cathode technology for immediate activation, magnetic shielding to minimize erosion, and GaNFet-based electronics. The system qualifies as ITAR/EAR-free for LEO constellation deployments.
Regarding Wall Street coverage, Citigroup raised RKLB to Outperform on April 14. Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed its Overweight stance with an $85 price objective following the iQPS multi-launch contract announcement. The consensus among 17 analysts stands at a Moderate Buy, with an average price target of $79.85.
Rocket Lab also concluded its at-the-market equity program in recent weeks, distributing 6.73 million shares for gross proceeds of roughly $474 million. Additionally, it executed collared forward transactions involving 7.45 million shares, with anticipated proceeds ranging from $474 million to $642 million.
