The company confirmed this week that it has cleared its Systems Integration Review (SIR) and finished building the Photon spacecraft, which will carry Eta Space’s cryogenic fluid management system into orbit. The LOXSAT mission will test the ability to safely store and transfer liquid oxygen (LOX) in space, a key precursor to developing Cryo-Dock, a full-scale cryogenic propellant depot planned for low-Earth orbit by 2030.
With the SIR completed in September, Rocket Lab will now move the mission into environmental testing, the final phase before its scheduled launch on the Electron rocket from Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand in early 2026.
Originally selected by Eta Space in 2020, Rocket Lab will provide both the spacecraft and the launch vehicle for the mission, highlighting the company’s growing suite of end-to-end space systems. Similar integrated missions include NASA’s CAPSTONE lunar mission and the upcoming Victus Haze mission for the US Space Force.
“We’re proud to deliver both the spacecraft and the launch for LOXSAT, a true demonstration of Rocket Lab’s end-to-end space capabilities,” said Brad Clevenger, Rocket Lab’s vice-president of space systems. “Refuelling in orbit is essential for reusable and sustainable exploration beyond Earth. With spacecraft integration now complete, we’re focused on preparing for launch.”
Eta Space CEO Bill Notardonato said Rocket Lab’s combination of launch and spacecraft capabilities had been crucial to the mission’s progress.
“We chose Rocket Lab not only for their proven Electron rocket and flexible launch schedule, but also for their deep spacecraft expertise,” he said.
Cryogenic fuels such as LOX offer high efficiency but are prone to boil-off in space due to temperature increases. LOXSAT will test “zero-loss” storage technology, paving the way for future orbital fuel depots capable of refuelling satellites and exploration vehicles.
The spacecraft, based on Rocket Lab’s Photon platform first flown on NASA’s CAPSTONE mission to the moon, was designed and built using the company’s vertically integrated components, including propulsion, avionics and structural systems. Assembly and testing are taking place at Rocket Lab’s Spacecraft Production Complex in Long Beach, California.
The mission is funded under NASA’s Tipping Point program, which supports technologies that could enable future human exploration beyond Earth orbit.