Rocket Lab said it has received regulatory clearance from Germany to proceed with its planned acquisition of Mynaric, with the transaction expected to close in April.
The approval was granted by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, enabling the company to move forward with the deal as part of its strategy to expand in the European space sector.
“Receiving regulatory approval is an important milestone on the path to acquiring Mynaric. We’re an exciting step closer to expanding our ability to support the German and European space industry at a much greater level,” said Peter Beck, Rocket Lab founder and CEO.
“Laser communications are a critical enabler for the constellations of today and tomorrow, and Rocket Lab is going to make them available at scale. We look forward to joining forces with the Mynaric team so that we can make optical terminals available at the volume and pace that commercial and government satellite customers demand across Europe and our existing markets,” said Peter Beck.
Rocket Lab said the acquisition is expected to strengthen its capabilities across launch services, spacecraft manufacturing and satellite component supply, particularly in optical communications.
Laser communication technology enables higher data transmission rates, improved security and more efficient spectrum usage compared with traditional radio frequency systems, although limited supply has constrained adoption at scale, the company said.
Mynaric will remain headquartered in Munich after the deal closes, establishing Rocket Lab’s first European footprint and supporting expansion into regional space programmes.
Mynaric currently supplies CONDOR Mk3 optical communication terminals to Rocket Lab for contracts with the Space Development Agency, including programmes covering Transport Layer-Beta Tranche 2 and Tracking Layer Tranche 3.
Rocket Lab said it plans to scale Mynaric’s manufacturing capabilities and improve production efficiency to deliver optical terminals at higher volumes and lower cost to meet growing demand.
