Miles Jamison
Rocket Lab has received a $23.9 million investment from the Department of Commerce to expand its semiconductor manufacturing capabilities, bolstering U.S. competitiveness in space-grade semiconductor technology.
Strengthening Supply Chains & Driving Economic Growth
The Long Beach, California-based company specializing in launch services and space systems said Friday the investment, under the CHIPS and Science Act, aims to establish a reliable domestic supply chain for space-grade solar cells and electro-optical sensors for spacecraft and satellites used in national security space operations.
Over the next five years, the investment is expected to double Rocket Lab’s production from 20,000 wafers to approximately 35,000 wafers a month and enhance its ability to deliver integrated spacecraft systems and advanced semiconductor and electro-optical technologies. Combined with the $275 million acquisition of Geost, the investment is meant to reinforce America’s semiconductor industrial base.
Remarks From Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick
“This administration is taking historic actions to encourage companies like Rocket Lab to invest in American ingenuity and innovation. Rocket Lab’s investment will help cement our dominance in space while expanding opportunities for workers across the country,” stated U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick.
