Rocket Lab Acquires Geost

Rocket Lab Acquires Geost, LLC from ATL Partners / LightRidge Solutions

August 12, 2025

Aerospace & Defense

Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (a subsidiary of Rocket Lab Corporation) is acquiring Geost, LLC, a LightRidge Solutions subsidiary, in a deal that represents a successful exit for ATL Partners. Following the sale ATL will combine its remaining LightRidge businesses, Trident Systems and Ophir Corporation, into a new defense electronics platform called Trident Solutions; the transaction strengthens Rocket Lab's EO/IR payload and mission-capability offerings for defense and intelligence customers and is subject to regulatory approval.

ATL Partners Acquires Majority Stake in GEOST

August 18, 2021

Aerospace & Defense

New York-based private equity firm ATL Partners has made a majority investment in GEOST, a Tucson, Arizona designer and integrator of small-to-medium electro-optical/infrared sensors for national security space missions. ATL plans to scale GEOST through organic growth, new production capacity and strategic bolt-on acquisitions to expand the company's product capabilities in space domain awareness and related subsystems.

Rocket Lab Acquires Advanced Solutions, Inc.

October 12, 2021

Aerospace & Defense

Rocket Lab USA, Inc. completed the acquisition of Advanced Solutions, Inc. (ASI), a Colorado-based aerospace engineering firm specializing in flight software, mission simulation, and GNC, for $40 million plus up to $5.5 million of performance-based earnouts. The deal expands Rocket Lab's Space Systems capabilities and integrates ASI's proven flight software and GNC expertise into Rocket Lab's Photon and broader spacecraft offerings.

Rocket Lab Acquires SolAero Holdings for $80 Million

December 13, 2021

Aerospace & Defense

Rocket Lab (Nasdaq: RKLB) has acquired SolAero Holdings, Inc., a leading supplier of space solar cells, solar panels and precision aerospace structures, for $80 million in cash. The acquisition (announced in December 2021 and subsequently closed) adds SolAero’s ~425 employees and the world’s largest production line of high-performance space solar cells to Rocket Lab’s vertically integrated space systems business, expanding its manufacturing capabilities for civil, defense and commercial space customers.

Rocket Lab USA, Inc. Acquires Planetary Systems Corporation

November 15, 2021

Aerospace & Defense

Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) completed the acquisition of Planetary Systems Corporation (PSC), a Maryland-based spacecraft separation systems and satellite dispenser manufacturer, for $42 million in cash plus 1,720,841 shares of common stock and a potential earnout of up to 956,023 additional shares. The deal (expected/closed in Q4 2021 per announcements) brings PSC's flight-proven separation hardware and its 25-person team into Rocket Lab's Space Systems division to expand Rocket Lab's end-to-end launch, spacecraft, and space-hardware capabilities.

Rocket Lab Completes Merger with Vector Acquisition Corporation

August 25, 2021

Aerospace & Defense

Rocket Lab USA, Inc. completed its previously announced merger with Vector Acquisition Corporation and began trading on Nasdaq under the ticker RKLB. The transaction generated approximately $777 million of gross proceeds (including trust account funds and concurrent PIPE financing) to accelerate Rocket Lab’s space systems growth, fund development of the reusable Neutron rocket, and support organic and inorganic expansion.