Betting on the Backbone of the New Space Economy
I initiated my position in Rocket Lab in December 2024, after years of quietly watching the evolution of space tech and telecom converge—and seeing one company consistently show up with pragmatism, precision, and momentum.
Having spent much of my early career working across telecommunications and satellite infrastructure, I’ve long understood the stakes of the space industry—not as science fiction, but as critical infrastructure. From satellites to ground-based redundancy systems, the future of global communication, defense, weather tracking, and even finance will be underpinned by who gets space right.
That’s why Rocket Lab stood out.
Why Rocket Lab?
Rocket Lab is not just a launch company. It’s an end-to-end space infrastructure company—from design to deployment. What attracted me most was the clarity and focus of its CEO, Peter Beck, whose leadership strikes the rare balance between technical depth and commercial execution.
While others in the space industry focused on the spectacle, Beck focused on:
- Reusability (Electron & Neutron class rockets)
- Vertical integration (design, launch, and spacecraft manufacturing)
- Speed and frequency (delivering missions in weeks, not years)
Rocket Lab isn’t chasing headlines. It’s chasing operational efficiency, launch cadence, and market trust—and it’s earning all three.
The Macro Trend: More Satellites, More Often
One of the fundamental reasons I backed Rocket Lab was because the unit economics of space have changed.
Historically, satellites were:
- Big, costing hundreds of millions
- Long-life, with 15–20 year cycles
- Government-sponsored
Now, they’re:
- Smaller and smarter (CubeSats, nanosats, etc.)
- Built on 5–7 year cycles, or even shorter
- Funded by both public and private markets
- Launched in constellations for LEO-based redundancy
This transition demands a different type of space company—nimble, cost-efficient, and vertically integrated.
The end result? Demand for launches has exploded.
Every satellite constellation deployed—whether for internet (like Starlink or Amazon Kuiper), defense, earth observation, or telecommunications redundancy in wartime—requires frequent launches and dedicated solutions.
That’s exactly where Rocket Lab thrives.
Why This Is a Classic “Asymmetric Bet”
The barriers to entry in space launch are immense:
- Rocket science still matters
- Regulatory navigation is complex
- You can’t iterate quickly if you don’t control your supply chain
Rocket Lab has cleared those hurdles. And while still early in its commercial journey, the company:
- Has a growing backlog of missions
- Is manufacturing spacecraft as well as launching them
- Has strong relationships with NASA, DARPA, and commercial satellite clients
This positions Rocket Lab not just as a niche player, but as a foundational infrastructure company for the space economy.
Final Thoughts
Rocket Lab fits perfectly into my G3 portfolio—moonshots with asymmetric upside and long-term strategic optionality.
They are:
- Solving a critical pain point (space access, fast deployment, trusted delivery)
- Operating with clear product-market fit
- Led by a pragmatic, visionary CEO
- Positioned at the intersection of defense, data, and deep tech
If we are truly entering a decade of space industrialization—and I believe we are—then Rocket Lab has every opportunity to become a core utility provider to that ecosystem.
I’m watching it closely, accumulating slowly, and holding with a 20-year view.
