Rocket Lab acquires Iridium in $8 billion satellite deal

Rocket Lab acquires Iridium in $8 billion satellite deal Rocket Lab acquires Iridium in $8 billion satellite deal · Quartz · Cheng Xin / Getty Images Cris Tolomia Mon, June 29, 2026 at 7:32 PM GMT+7 2 min read IRDM RKLB SPCX Rocket Lab agreed to acquire Iridium Communications in a cash-and-stock transaction valued at approximately $8 billion, the companies announced Monday. The deal would give Rocket Lab control over Iridium's 66-satellite low-Earth orbit network, globally licensed L-band spectrum, and a customer base of more than 2.55 million subscribers spanning government, defense, aviation, maritime, and commercial markets.

Each Iridium share is valued at $54 under the deal's structure — half in cash and half in Rocket Lab stock — representing a 24.1% premium over where Iridium last traded, according to Reuters. The transaction is expected to close in mid-2027, pending Iridium stockholder and regulatory approvals. Both companies' boards unanimously approved the deal.

The acquisition positions Rocket Lab to compete more directly with SpaceX and its Starlink unit, which combines launch services with a satellite communications business. Like SpaceX's Starlink model, the logic behind the acquisition centers on folding a working satellite communications network into a company that already builds and launches the vehicles that put those satellites in orbit, according to the outlet. Several other longstanding satellite operators have also sought merger partners recently, according to The Wall Street Journal, including Globalstar, which agreed to be acquired by Amazon in April, and SES, which completed its purchase of Intelsat last year.