---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0000950170-24-104916"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "RKLB"
cik: "0001819994"
company_name: "Rocket Lab Corp"
filed_at: "2024-09-10T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-05-31T05:41:34.091475+00:00"
event_type: "leadership"
sentiment: "positive"
materiality_score: 0.6
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.6
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# Rocket Lab appoints Frank Klein as COO to scale manufacturing; backlog over $1B

## Summary
- Frank Klein, former Rivian and Magna Steyr COO, named COO effective Sept 16, 2024.
- He will lead scaling of spacecraft, launch vehicles, and components to meet $1B+ backlog.
- Compensation: $400K base salary, up to 70% bonus, 1.3M RSUs vesting over 4 years, $100K sign-on.
- Klein has 30+ years manufacturing experience; led operations at Daimler, Magna Steyr, and Rivian.
- CEO Sir Peter Beck cites Klein's lean manufacturing expertise for growth and path to profitability.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0000950170-24-104916
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: RKLB
- cik: 0001819994
- company_name: Rocket Lab Corp
- filed_at: 2024-09-10T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: leadership
- sentiment: positive
- materiality_score: 0.6
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.6
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 5.02, 7.01, 9.01
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1819994/000095017024104916/0000950170-24-104916-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1819994/000095017024104916/rklb-20240906.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000950170-24-104916
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000950170-24-104916.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000950170-24-104916.txt

## Key facts
- Executive change
  Frank Klein was appointed as Chief Operations Officer at Rocket Lab Corp.
  - Action: appointed
  - Role: Chief Operations Officer
  source text: On September 6, 2024, Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (the “Company”) appointed Frank Klein as Chief Operations Officer, effective on September 16, 2024.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1819994/000095017024104916/0000950170-24-104916-index.htm

This AI-assisted summary is a reading aid. Review the linked SEC EDGAR filing before relying on any specific claim.