Rocket Lab to Buy Iridium for $8 Billion

Rocket Lab agreed June 29 to acquire satellite operator Iridium Communications for $8 billion. The deal combines Rocket Lab's ability to build and launch rockets with Iridium's 66 working satellites and paying customers in shipping, aviation, and government. Together they control the full chain: design, manufacture, launch, operate. That vertical integration—owning everything end-to-end—is rare and valuable in spaceflight.