Rocket Lab Launches 80th Mission With Perfect Success

A rocket streaked into the New Zealand night sky on January 22, carrying not just satellites but proof that space launch services are becoming as reliable as clockwork.

Rocket Lab's Electron rocket lifted off from Launch Complex 1 in Mahia at 11:52 pm local time, marking the company's first launch of 2026 and its 80th successful mission overall. The rocket delivered two satellites into a precise 1,050 kilometer circular orbit for Open Cosmos, a European space technology company launching its first dedicated mission with Rocket Lab.

The mission, playfully named "The Cosmos Will See You Now," deployed the first satellites in Open Cosmos' new telecommunications constellation just one week after the company secured critical radio spectrum. The successful launch demonstrates Rocket Lab's ability to handle higher-altitude missions while maintaining the precision that small satellite operators depend on.

This success builds on an extraordinary 2025 for Rocket Lab, which completed 21 launches with perfect mission success. The company has transformed from a startup into one of the world's most reliable small launch providers, competing in a space industry that once belonged exclusively to government superpowers.

The Ripple Effect

Rocket Lab's consistent success is opening space access to companies that couldn't afford it before. Open Cosmos represents exactly the kind of customer that benefits from reliable, affordable launch services: a growing company that needs to deploy satellites on schedule without the risk or cost of building their own rocket.

The company's track record matters beyond individual missions. Each successful launch strengthens the business case for new space ventures, from communications networks to Earth observation systems that monitor climate change and natural disasters. When launches become routine, innovation accelerates.

Rocket Lab is also developing Neutron, a larger rocket designed to carry heavier payloads, though the company experienced a tank rupture during testing on January 21. The setback hasn't dampened confidence in the company's operational momentum, especially after securing an $816 million contract with the U.S. Space Development Agency in December.

The perfect start to 2026 proves that space launch services are maturing into a dependable industry where success is expected rather than celebrated as extraordinary.