Rocket Lab and Viasat Hit Space Milestone With NASA-Backed Maxwell Launch
Viasat launched its Maxwell spacecraft for a NASA communications demo under $81 million in contracts. Rocket Lab built the satellite, which flew on SpaceX's Bandwagon-5.
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what happened
According to Stocktwits, shares of Rocket Lab (RKLB) and Viasat (VSAT) drew attention on Wednesday after Viasat successfully launched its Maxwell spacecraft on Tuesday. The satellite is meant to demonstrate communications for NASA and is part of two Communications Services Project contract awards worth $81 million in total.
Rocket Lab built the spacecraft at its Long Beach facility using in-house components, including solar panels and flight software. It flew aboard SpaceX's Bandwagon-5 rideshare mission. On-orbit tests will run for five months, through March 2027.
The same source reported that SpaceX shares (SPCX) rose after the company posted earnings better than expected.
why it matters
The news mainly concerns niche space companies and NASA contracts, so its effect on the broad market is limited. For investors in RKLB and VSAT, the next test results and contract developments matter most.
market impact
Space stocks RKLB and VSAT: the news supports their pipeline of NASA contracts
tags
instruments
sources
- Rocket Lab Sets Another Spacecraft Milestone As Viasat Advances $81M NASA Program — Stocktwits, 21 October 2026 at 17:15 UTC
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