Rocket Lab quietly launched a small satellite from New Zealand on Friday in a high-flying military exercise to test the US Space Force’s ability to rapidly respond to a crisis in low-Earth orbit.

Update, June 17, 8:12 a.m. ET: After publication, Rocket Lab provided Gizmodo with the following statement: “Rocket Lab has never placed any object into orbit unintentionally.” The company did not ...

Rocket Lab (NASDAQ:RKLB) has just under five years of public trading history. Peter Beck's small-launch pioneer went public via SPAC merger in August 2021, well short of a full decade. That five-year ...