tl;dr: Rocket Lab is acquiring Iridium Communications for approximately $8.0 billion ($54/share in cash and stock), combining Rocket Lab's launch and satellite manufacturing with Iridium's LEO constellation, L-band spectrum, and 2.55M subscribers. The deal gives Rocket Lab immediate entry into satellite IoT, direct-to-device, and PNT services, plus Iridium's $871.7M in 2025 recurring revenue. Closing is expected mid-2027, funded partly via a $3.6B bridge loan from Deutsche Bank and Wells Fargo.