Rocket Lab
1. Company Name: Rocket Lab Limited.
2. Company Number: 1835428.
3. New Zealand Business Number (NZBN): 9429034019108.
4. Entity Type: NZ Limited Company.
5. Status: Registered（active).
6. Date of Incorporation: 29 June 2006.
7. Annual Return Filing Date: August (latest annual return filed 8 Aug 2024).
8. Filing Agent: Foundation Corporate Services (Wellington) Ltd.
9. Constitution Filed: Yes.
10. Industry Classification (ANZSIC06): C259907 (Manufacturing, not elsewhere classified).
11. Registered Office: 25 Levene Pl, Mount Wellington, Auckland 1060
12. Address for Service: 25 Levene Pl, Mount Wellington, Auckland 1060
13. Phone: +64 9 373 2721
14. Email: [email protected].
15. Website: www.rocketlabusa.com.
16. Directors: Sir Peter Joseph Beck (NZ address: Beachlands) and Adam C. Spice (USA address: Huntington Beach, CA).
17. Senior Managers: Peter Beck – CEO; Adam Spice – CFO; Frank Klein – COO; Arjun Kampani – General Counsel and Corporate Secretary.
18. Ultimate Holding Company: Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Delaware, USA), which holds 100% of Rocket Lab Limited shares.
19. Shareholders: Rocket Lab USA, Inc., 15,002,000 ordinary shares (100%).
20. Beneficial Owners: As above (100% US-owned).
21. Parent / Group Structure: Subsidiary of Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (NASDAQ: RKLB), which is in turn majority-owned by its founder Peter Beck and investors (see shareholding above).
22. Major Investors: None publicly disclosed in NZ records beyond the sole US parent. Rocket Lab USA’s shareholders include venture funds (e.g. Khosla Ventures) and public investors in the NASDAQ listing.
23. NZ Government Contracts / Grants:
Received a Callaghan Innovation R&D Growth Grant in 2014 (part of $140m awarded to 31 firms by Science Minister S. Joyce).
Subject of a 2016 Cabinet agreement permitting U.S. launch vehicles and sharing of liability.
Mentioned in government space sector support (e.g. PM’s Space Prizes 2024, space agency oversight).
24. Government Connections: Company founder Sir Peter Beck has met ministers (e.g. Judith Collins) and joined state delegations (e.g. 2024 NZ trade mission to Japan with PM and business leaders). The space launch site was enabled by a dedicated regulatory regime and Cabinet papers between NZ and US (MBIE documents). Rocket Lab is a frequent subject of parliamentary discussion in space/defence contexts.
25. Political Donations: No records found of direct donations by Rocket Lab NZ to NZ political parties or candidates (Data Not Found). U.S. parent Rocket Lab USA engages in U.S. lobbying (2024 expenditures $830k) and operates a PAC, but no NZ election donations are reported.
26. Affiliations: None disclosed in NZ registers beyond being regulated by the NZ Space Agency under the Outer Space and High-altitude Activities Act 2017. The company emphasises educational grants and community support in NZ through a “Community Grants” programme (no official register entries).
27. Subsidiaries / Branches: NZ-based launch site (Mahia, Gisborne) plus offices in Auckland; Launch Complex 2 in USA (Wallops, Virginia); global offices as Rocket Lab International (some offshore sites, e.g. offices in UK/Australia, not NZ-registered).
28. Regulatory Status: Holds NZ launch and payload licences under the NZ Space Agency; subject to NZ export controls and UN treaties via the Space Act and associated regulations. The law caps NZ government liability for satellite damages under the 1972 Outer Space Treaty and Liabilities Convention.
Sources
[1] Company Summary – Rocket Lab Limited, New Zealand Companies Register, https://app.companiesoffice.govt.nz/companies/app/ui/pages/companies/1835428 (data fields including company number, NZBN, incorporation date, status, constitution, addresses).
[2] Shareholdings – Rocket Lab Limited, New Zealand Companies Register, https://app.companiesoffice.govt.nz/companies/app/ui/pages/companies/1835428/shareholdings (details of shares held by Rocket Lab USA, Inc.).
[3] Rachel Roberston and Eva Corlett, “New Zealand MP says Rocket Lab launches could betray country’s anti-nuclear stance”, The Guardian (17 Oct. 2022), https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/oct/17/new-zealand-mp-says-rocket-lab-launches-could-betray-countrys-anti-nuclear-stance.
[4] Eva Corlett, “NZ space regulator under scrutiny as Rocket Lab launches for US military continue”, The Guardian (17 Oct. 2022), https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/oct/17/rocket-lab-launch-us-military-nuclear. (Includes Rocket Lab and government statements on nuclear policy.)
[5] New Zealand Parliament Hansard, “Oral Question No. 10 – Space” (27 Mar. 2024), https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/hansard-debates/rhr/document/HansS_20240327_051240000/oral-question-10-question-no-10-space (Collins announcing space prizes, including visit to Rocket Lab).
[6] New Zealand Parliament Hansard, Speech by Greg O’Connor on space technology and funding (27 Aug. 2019), https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/hansard-debates/rhr/document/HansS_20190827_060450000/oconnor-greg (mentions Rocket Lab and government investment funds).
[7] NZ Space Agency (MBIE), “About us”, Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment (NZ), https://www.mbie.govt.nz/science-and-technology/space/about-us (regulatory background; links to 2016 agreement and Cabinet papers on Rocket Lab).
[8] NZ Govt Press Release – “$140m in R&D grants for business growth”, Beehive (Office of the PM), 16 Jan. 2014, https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/140m-r-d-grants-business-growth (lists Rocket Lab among grant recipients).
[9] Callaghan Innovation / Rocket Lab – “NZ Govt. Funding Secured” (press release, 2014), https://www.rocketlabusa.com/updates/nz-govt-funding-secured/ (confirms grant support via Callaghan program).
[10] Cabinet Paper – Contract between NZ Government and Rocket Lab (Sept 2016), MBIE (restricted) (summarised in sources [7] and [8]): outlines regulatory changes, liability arrangements, and NZ–US technology agreement.
[11] Rachel Roberston, “Rocket Lab USA headquarters threatens NZ academic with defamation action”, RNZ News (18 Oct. 2023), https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/533616/rocket-lab-us-headquarters-threatens-nz-academic-with-defamation-action (covers RL’s legal letter to Massey prof. and RL’s denial of nuclear support).
[12] Rocket Lab USA, Inc. – Lobbying Profile (2024), OpenSecrets, https://www.opensecrets.org/federal-lobbying/clients/summary?cycle=2024&id=D000083527 (shows US lobbying expenditure $830k in 2024).
[13] Andrew Jones, “US Space Force picks Rocket Lab and Stoke Space to compete for national security launches”, Space.com (2 Apr. 2025), https://www.space.com/us-space-force-nssl-rocket-lab-stoke-space (notes RL and Stoke Space joining Space Force launch contracts).
[14] SatNews, “Rocket Lab on-ramped to multi-billion$ U.S. + U.K. defense contracts for hypersonic HASTE” (14 Apr. 2025), https://news.satnews.com/2025/04/14/rocket-lab-on-ramped-to-multi-billion-u-s-u-k-defense-contracts-for-hypersonic-haste/ (company statement about HASTE program).
[15] Satellite Today, “Rocket Lab Neutron Launch on Track for 2025, Eyes FAA Approval” (26 Nov. 2024), https://www.satellitetoday.com/launch/2024/11/26/rocket-lab-neutron-launch-on-track-for-2025-eyes-faa-approval (company update).
[16] Greg Fleming (MP), Parliamentary debate transcript (12 Feb. 2025), New Zealand Parliament (Hansard Debates, PM’s Statement) https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/hansard-debates/rhr/combined/HansDeb_20250212_20250212_24 (quotes referencing Rocket Lab as example of NZ innovation).
[17] New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, “New Zealand Space and Advanced Aviation Strategy 2024–2030” (pdf), https://www.mfat.govt.nz/assets/new-zealand-space-and-advanced-aviation-strategy-2024-2030.pdf (NZ space strategy objectives).
[18] NZ Herald (online), “One small step for Mahia, one giant leap for NZ” (13 Sept. 2016), https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/one-small-step-for-mahia-one-giant-leap-for-nz/MZ77DCOVKNIUACFWZW46RXBKYU (background on RL launch site and local iwi leaders).
[19] The Disarmament and Security Centre – “No Military Payloads, Haere Atu Rocket Lab” (13 Mar. 2024), https://www.disarmsecure.org/news-resources/no-military-payloads-haere-atu-rocket-lab (activist report on local opposition; cites third-of-payloads stat).
[20] Wikipedia (Rocket Lab entry), Rocket Lab, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocket_Lab (provides corporate background; to be used with caution as tertiary).
[21] Bloomberg, “Adam C. Spice – Rocket Lab USA Inc: Profile and Biography”, Bloomberg.com (provides executive info, optionally).
[22] SpaceNews, “Rocket Lab ‘very happy’ with Space Force plan to procure launch services” (8 Mar. 2023), https://spacenews.com/rocket-lab-very-happy-with-space-force-plan-to-procure-launch-services/ (quotes Beck on US military procurement).
[23] Space.com – “Rocket Lab’s Neutron Rocket On-Ramped to U.S. Space Force’s $5.6b NSSL program” (27 Mar. 2025), https://www.rocketlabusa.com/news/rocket-labs-neutron-rocket-on-ramped-to-us-space-forces-nssl-program/ (press release).
[24] Federal Election Commission (FEC) – ROCKET LAB USA, INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (C00811034), https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00811034/ (for confirmation of PAC activity).
[25] Yahoo Finance – “Rocket Lab on-ramped to U.S. + U.K. Defense Contracts” (via AP/PR) (14 Apr. 2025), https://finance.yahoo.com/news/rocket-lab-on-ramped-u-uk-120000654.html.
[26] NASA official video – CAPSTONE Mission Launch 28 Jun 2022, (verifies launch origin at NZ site).
[27] Electoral Commission NZ – “Campaign Donations and Expenses”, (for completeness, though no relevant entries for Rocket Lab).
Spot anything in this entry that is wrong? Please either leave a comment at the end or email, in confidence: bryce@democracyproject.nz