Open Cosmos Brings First Telecom Satellites Into Operation With Rocket Lab Launch

Rocket Lab has successfully launched and deployed the first satellites of a new telecommunications constellation being developed by Open Cosmos, marking an important milestone for both companies.

The mission ‘The Cosmos Will See You Now’, Rocket Lab’s first launch of 2026, lifted off from the company’s New Zealand launch site and placed two satellites into a polar low Earth orbit at an altitude of around 1,050 kilometres.

The satellites are the first operational step in Open Cosmos’s planned telecommunications constellation, designed to provide secure and sovereign connectivity for governments, institutions and enterprise customers.

Built, integrated and now operated by Open Cosmos, the spacecraft are intended as technology and operations demonstrators, validating systems that will underpin a broader network in the future.

Open Cosmos, headquartered in the UK with operations across several European countries, has positioned the constellation as a response to growing demand for reliable and independently operated space-based communications.

The satellites operate in the Ka-band, using spectrum filings recently awarded to Open Cosmos by LiechtensteinDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, following the reassignment of frequencies previously held by Rivada Space NetworksDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →. The satellites will be licensed and operated in Spain.

For Rocket Lab, the launch highlights the role of its Electron rocket as a vehicle for dedicated constellation deployment. The company said the mission demonstrated the benefits of tailored launches, including precise orbital insertion and schedule control, particularly for customers deploying early constellation assets. Rocket Lab conducted more than 20 Electron launches last year and expects another active launch schedule in 2026.

For Open Cosmos, the mission represents a transition from design and manufacturing to on-orbit operations in telecommunications, complementing its existing work in Earth observation and satellite missions for European governments.

The company said the satellites are operating as expected, providing early confirmation that the constellation’s technical foundations are in place.

Sources:
Rafel Jorda Siquier's LinkedIn post
Globe Newswire
Globe Newswire
Space News
Marketscreener
Bez Kabli

J.V.