Rocket Lab Corporation (NASDAQ:RKLB), a global leader in launch services and space systems, today announced it has been selected to launch a dedicated Neutron mission for space infrastructure company Kepler Communications Inc (Kepler).

Launching from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 3 on Wallops Island, Virginia, no earlier than 2028, Neutron will deploy multiple satellites to low Earth orbit, expanding Kepler’s constellation with additional optical connectivity, on-orbit compute, and hosted payload capacity. The satellites will support a range of commercial and government missions.

While Kepler has previously relied on rideshare capacity to deploy its first 33 satellites, this Neutron launch contract is the first time they’ve booked a dedicated mission on a commercial launch vehicle – providing Kepler with much greater control over launch schedule and orbital parameters to meet their constellation requirements.