Rocket Lab USA (NASDAQ: RKLB) shares climbed 3% in after-hours trading Thursday after NASA selected the company to launch two key science missions studying the Sun and Earth.
NASA confirmed it will use Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket to carry out the PolSIR and TSIS-2 missions, launching from the company’s Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand.
Both missions fall under NASA’s program dedicated to using smaller rockets for science flights, as part of a broader NASA contract with a maximum value of $300 million over ten years.
The PolSIR mission involves two small CubeSat satellites designed to study ice clouds in tropical and subtropical regions by measuring how those clouds interact with sunlight and heat.
Scientists expect data collected by PolSIR to improve the accuracy of weather and climate forecasts, making the mission a meaningful contribution to atmospheric science research.
PolSIR is scheduled for no earlier than June 2027 and will require two dedicated Electron launches to deploy both satellites into orbit.
The TSIS-2 mission will measure the total energy and different wavelengths of sunlight reaching Earth, helping researchers track changes in ocean currents, seasons, and broader weather patterns.
TSIS-2 is targeted for early 2027 and will fly on a single dedicated Electron rocket, making it a more straightforward mission in terms of launch logistics.
As of June 2026, Rocket Lab has completed nearly 90 launches with Electron, successfully deploying more than 260 satellites across commercial and government programs.
Earlier this week, the company said its Electron production line is turning out a rocket every 11 days, reinforcing its case for rapid-response space missions in a competitive launch market.
Rocket Lab’s larger Neutron vehicle remains in development and has not yet made its inaugural flight, despite originally being slated for a first launch in 2025, leaving Electron as the company’s sole operational workhorse.
On Stocktwits, retail sentiment around RKLB jumped from “bearish” to “bullish” territory over the past 24 hours, with one user calling RKLB the “most undervalued stock in the market.”
Another Stocktwits user voiced confidence specifically in the company’s CEO, Peter Beck, suggesting investor faith in leadership remains strong alongside the latest contract news.
According to data from Koyfin, 15 of the 19 analysts covering RKLB rate it “Buy” or higher, while four rate it “Hold,” with a 12-month average price target of $106.92.
That consensus target represents a potential upside of approximately 33% from Thursday’s closing price, and RKLB stock has already gained 16% year-to-date heading into this latest catalyst.
