Introducing First Light: Rocket Lab's first Photon satellite in orbit

Rocket Lab is a privately held,Long Beach, California-based company with a wholly owned New Zealand subsidiary, where its launches are conducted.It was founded in 2006 by CEO Peter Beck,a New Zealand engineer.*
In 2021, Rocket Lab will launch the NASA CubeSat CAPSTONE on an Electron rocket and Photon spacecraft. CAPSTONE will support the Artemis human lunar exploration missions by testing and verifying the near rectilinear halo lunar orbit which will be used by the Lunar Gateway,a small space station that will provide astronauts with access to the lunar surface.In addition, CAPSTONE will test an advanced navigation system that will measure its position relative to NASA'S Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter without reliance on ground stations.Thus CAPSTONE is an early step in learning how to operate challenging missions in a cislunar orbit, laying the groundwork for future solar system exploration, according to Rocket Lab.*