LONG BEACH, Calif. & KISTA, Sweden — In a dual development for the space supply chain, Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) has secured funding from the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) to expand its spacecraft component portfolio, while Sivers Semiconductors AB (STO: SIVE) has entered a $1.5 million partnership with Doosan Corporation to develop next-generation satellite terminal antennas.
Rocket Lab Updates Wheel Portfolio
Rocket Lab has been awarded approximately $1 million CAD ($710,000 USD) under the CSA’s Space Technology Development Program (STDP). The contract tasks Rocket Lab’s Toronto-based subsidiary—formerly Sinclair Interplanetary—with developing a new medium-class reaction wheel.
While Rocket Lab’s current lineup services CubeSats and smallsats (1 kg to 200 kg), the new hardware targets the 500 kg to 1,000 kg satellite bus market. This medium-class segment is critical for the growing number of commercial constellations requiring higher stability and agility without the mass penalty of legacy large-satellite components.
Technical Specifications:
- Target Capacity: Minimum angular momentum of 25 Nms.
- Mass Class: Optimized for 500–1,000 kg spacecraft.
- Heritage: Developed at the Toronto facility, which has supplied wheels for over 300 satellites.
Sivers and Doosan Target Ground Terminals
Separately, Sivers Semiconductors announced a strategic partnership with South Korea’s Doosan Corporation to co-develop Electronically Steerable Array (ESA) panels for the Ka-band market. The $1.5 million contract will see Sivers integrate its beamforming integrated circuits (BFICs) with Doosan’s advanced copper-clad laminate (CCL) manufacturing capabilities.
The collaboration addresses a specific bottleneck in the ground segment: the need for flat-panel antennas that can seamlessly track non-geostationary (NGSO) satellites without moving parts. By combining Sivers’ active beamforming chips with Doosan’s scalable materials, the partnership aims to lower the thermal footprint and manufacturing cost of Ka-band terminals for maritime and aviation users.
Executive Perspective
Brad Clevenger, President of Rocket Lab USA, emphasized the strategic shift toward larger commercial buses. “The space industry is rapidly evolving and so is the demand for reliable, flight-proven components for satellites of all sizes,” Clevenger said. “We’re proud to support the CSA’s initiative by delivering a Canadian-designed, Canadian-built, cost-effective reaction wheel that builds on more than 20 years of flight heritage.”
Outlook
Both agreements highlight the industry’s shift from vertical integration to specialized sub-system scaling. Rocket Lab’s development work is slated for immediate commencement at its Ontario facility, with the aim of qualifying the 25 Nms wheel for future Canadian and international manifests. Meanwhile, Sivers and Doosan expect their joint ESA architecture to support the mass production of commercial terminals required by upcoming LEO broadband mega-constellations.
