Why Rocket Lab Stock Skyrocketed on Thursday
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By Eric Volkman – Dec 18, 2025 at 6:51PM ESTKey PointsThe space exploration specialist launched its latest mission very early that morning.It deployed four satellites for the Department of Defense in the effort.These 10 Stocks Could Mint the Next Wave of Millionaires ›NASDAQ: RKLBRocket LabMarket Cap$29BToday's Changeangle-down(11.14%) $6.01Current Price$59.97Price as of December 18, 2025 at 3:58 PM ETThe company impressed investors by completing a mission five months earlier than expected.Rocket Lab's (RKLB +11.14%) stock had a very memorable Thursday, as its price rose at a double-digit rate. On some very encouraging news about its hardware, investors pounced on the space company's shares to boost them to a more than 11% gain that trading session. Launching a bull run Rocket Lab announced the successful launch of its STP-S30 mission, which occurred very early that morning from a company launch complex at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) in Wallops Island, Virginia. Bearing the quirky nickname "Don't Be Such a Square," the launch deployed four satellites into low Earth orbit after takeoff. Image source: Getty Images. The quartet of DiskSat small satellites were deployed for this country's Space Force's Space Systems Command (SSC), which falls under the Department of Defense's (DoD) Space Test Program (STP). These are proposed alternatives to CubeSat satellites, which are used by government agencies and other entities aiming to explore space. Rocket Lab didn't hesitate to mention that the launch occurred a full five months ahead of schedule. ExpandNASDAQ: RKLBRocket LabToday's Change(11.14%) $6.01Current Price$59.97Key Data PointsMarket Cap$29BDay's Range$56.04 - $60.2352wk Range$14.71 - $73.97Volume825KAvg Vol22MGross Margin28.93% Space for improvement The early launch is particularly impressive, given that delays in such events are hardly uncommon in the private space industry. This not only burnishes Rocket Lab's reputation as a reliable operator and trusted partner of an important government agency, it also shows that the company can over-deliver on its commitments. Any investor interested in space stocks should absolutely consider owning this stock.Read NextDec 14, 2025 •By Courtney Carlsen3 Reasons to Buy Rocket Lab Stock Like There's No TomorrowDec 12, 2025 •By Brett SchaferWhy Rocket Lab Stock Shot 30% Higher This WeekDec 11, 2025 •By Rich SmithWhy Rocket Lab Stock Rocketed Higher TodayDec 7, 2025 •By Rich Smith3 Reasons Why Rocket Lab Stock Is A Millionaire-MakerDec 6, 2025 •By Courtney CarlsenHere's Why 2026 Could Be a Huge Year for Rocket LabDec 5, 2025 •By Brett SchaferWhy Rocket Lab Stock Slipped Last MonthAbout the AuthorEric Volkman is a contributing Motley Fool finance and stock market analyst. Previously, Eric was an equities analyst at European investment bank Raiffeisen Capital and Investment. He’s also been a freelance finance writer since 1995. He studied at Susquehanna University.TMFVolkmanStocks MentionedRocket LabNASDAQ: RKLB$59.97 (+0.11%) $+6.01*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.Advertisement