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Rocket Lab
Rocket Lab was one of IQT's first commercial space investments. At the time, standard practice was for government contractors to build large, school-bus sized satellites. A handful of new startup companies were building much smaller satellites, weighing less than 100 kilograms, to break this paradigm. But there was a need for a more efficient way to launch these into space. At the time, Rocket Lab had a vision and was doing the required R&D work to get it built, but IQT was an early investor years prior to their first rocket launch.
The company’s Electron rocket, which can carry a payload of between 200-300 kilograms to low earth orbit, has enabled small startups to launch their satellites to the right orbits and on a more predictable timeline than waiting to hitch rides with bigger launch vehicles. Electron serves a variety of commercial and government customers, and has helped create a thriving commercial space industry.
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