$RKLB CEO Says Rocket Lab Is Building Across All Three Layers of the Space Economy

$RKLB CEO Peter Beck says the space economy can be divided into three major layers: rockets, spacecraft and the applications built on top of them.
Rocket Lab is positioning itself across all three.
“We build rockets, we build satellites, and with our acquisition of Iridium, we’re also a services company from space,” Beck said.
The strategy moves $RKLB beyond being primarily a launch company.
Electron and the upcoming Neutron provide launch capability, Rocket Lab’s space systems business builds satellites and components, while the planned Iridium acquisition would give the company direct exposure to space-based communications and services.
That creates a vertically integrated model where Rocket Lab can potentially build spacecraft, launch them and generate recurring revenue from the services they provide once in orbit.
For $RKLB, the long-term opportunity is increasingly about owning more of the space value chain rather than simply selling launches.