Rocket Lab successfully conducted the 70th flight of its Electron small-lift rocket on 23 August, lifting off from Launch Complex 1 Pad A on New Zealand’s Mahia Peninsula at 22:42 UTC. The mission, dubbed “Live, Laugh, Launch,” placed five undisclosed commercial satellites into low-Earth orbit and marked the company’s 12th launch of 2025. Rocket Lab said the vehicle achieved orbit on its first attempt, extending the firm’s record to 100% mission success this year. The milestone flight came a day after Rocket Lab detailed an expansion of its United States manufacturing footprint. Backed by a $23.9 million award from the Commerce Department through the CHIPS and Science Act, the company plans to increase monthly production of space-grade compound semiconductors and solar cells from roughly 20,000 to 35,000 wafers. The investment forms part of a multi-year strategy that also includes a $275 million acquisition of electro-optical payload specialist Geost, aimed at strengthening supply chains for U.S. national-security space programs.