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Mark Rocket

Mark Rocket (né Stevens)[1] is a New Zealand entrepreneur, aerospace executive, and the founder and CEO of Kea Aerospace. He was a seed investor and co-director of Rocket Lab from 2007 to 2011. Rocket became the first New Zealander to reach space through a suborbital flight with Blue Origin on the New Shepard NS-32 mission in 2025.

Career

Rocket founded two Internet companies in 1998 and sold one in 2006. He was a seed investor in Rocket Lab and served as a co-director from 2007 to 2011.[2] In 2018, he founded Kea Aerospace, a company developing solar-powered stratospheric aircraft, and serves as its CEO.[3] As of 2025, Rocket is the president of Aerospace New Zealand.[2]

Personal life

Rocket changed his surname from Stevens to Rocket in 2000.[4] That year, he set a personal goal to become the first New Zealander to reach space. In 2006, he purchased a ticket for a 2008 Virgin Galactic flight, which was intended to take him to space, but he sold the ticket after delays.[5] In 2025, Rocket secured a seat on Blue Origin's New Shepard NS-32 suborbital flight, which flew on 1 June 2025, making him the first New Zealander to reach space.[6][7][8]

External links

References

  1. Chris Keall. Tech Insider: Mark Rocket on Kea Aerospace's pending $15m raise - and the contract that saw him leave Rocket Lab New Zealand Herald, 30 September 2024, retrieved 23 May 2025^
  2. Christchurch entrepreneur to be launched into space Otago Daily Times, 22 May 2025, retrieved 23 May 2025^
  3. Kea Aerospace completes solar-powered stratospheric flight 1News, 12 February 2025, retrieved 23 May 2025^
  4. Christchurch aerospace entrepreneur set to become first Kiwi in space The Press, 23 May 2025, retrieved 23 May 2025^
  5. 'Rocket man' hopes to be first Kiwi in space The New Zealand Herald, 22 May 2006, retrieved 23 May 2025^
  6. First Kiwi in space: Christchurch man to be on Blue Origin flight 1News, 22 May 2025, retrieved 23 May 2025^
  7. New Shepard NS-32 Mission blueorigin.com, retrieved 28 May 2025^
  8. Blue Origin's New Shepard Completes 32nd Flight, Has Now Flown 64 People to Space Blue Origin, 31 May 2025, retrieved 31 May 2025^