Rocket Lab buys Iridium in $8 billion deal, to expand beyond launches
The deal adds a global satellite network and recurring service revenue as Rocket Lab expands beyond launches, with Iridium stockholders set to receive $27 per share.
- On Monday, June 29, 2026, Rocket Lab Corporation announced a definitive agreement to acquire Iridium Communications Inc. in a cash-and-stock deal valued at approximately $8.0 billion.
- By acquiring Iridium, Rocket Lab aims to shift its revenue model from one-time launches to recurring subscription services, helping sidestep "big challenges" like long deployment lead times.
- Financing for the transaction includes a $3.6 billion bridge loan from Deutsche Bank and Wells Fargo, with Rocket Lab planning to launch future satellites in-house using Neutron.
- Combining Rocket Lab's launch capabilities with Iridium's 500-plus partner ecosystem creates a vertically integrated space company, which Sir Peter Beck, founder and CEO of Rocket Lab, called a "defining moment."
- Subject to regulatory approvals, the deal is expected to close in mid-2027, as Matt Desch, CEO of Iridium, said success requires "bringing new innovations to space quickly and sustaining them efficiently.
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The rocket manufacturer takes over the satellite operator Iridium and thus enters the market for satellite telephony. Starlink and Amazon are also investing billions of dollars in direct connections to the smartphone.
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