Mahia Peninsula Launch Complex (LC-1)

Launch Complex 1 (LC-1) is Rocket Lab's privately owned and operated orbital launch range located on the Mahia Peninsula on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island, on land leased from Onenui Station. Established as the world's first private orbital launch site, LC-1 became operational in 2016 and hosted Rocket Lab's first orbital launch attempt in 2017, followed by the company's first successful orbital launch, "It's a Test," in January 2018.

The FAA-licensed site was built to support high launch cadence, with a licensed capacity of up to 130 launches per year, and its geographic position enables access to a wide range of orbital inclinations, from sun-synchronous orbit through to roughly 39 degrees, without overflying populated areas. LC-1 has two launch pads and has served as the primary launch site for Rocket Lab's Electron small-satellite launch vehicle, supporting missions for commercial, government, and research customers including NASA, the U.S. Space Force, and numerous small satellite operators.

Beyond its role as an active launch range, LC-1 is notable for demonstrating that frequent, responsive small-satellite launch was commercially viable from a dedicated, non-shared launch site, helping establish Rocket Lab as one of the highest-cadence orbital launch providers globally alongside its second site, Launch Complex 2, in Virginia, USA.