New Rocket Lab vice president Garrett Katzenstein has a bachelor degree in mechanical engineering and masters of business administration.

Kiwi company Rocket Lab has recruited an aerospace expert as its new vice president of product and mission management.

Formerly with American space transportation company SpaceX, Garrett Katzenstein​ has nearly 20 years' experience in space propulsion, structures, robotics, launch integration, systems engineering, programme management, contracts and sales.

He has managed programmes to place robots on Mars and managed multiple successful missions to fly the Dragon Capsule, a spacecraft developed by SpaceX, to the International Space Station.

At Rocket Lab, Katzenstein will be responsible for customer experience from the point of sale through to vehicle registration and launch.

READ MORE:

*Rocket Lab begins work on Electron rocket launch site in Mahia

*Nasa joins Rocket Lab team to launch first New Zealand satellite into orbit

Rocket Lab founder Peter Beck said Katzenstein's experience and skills will be "a great asset to our customers throughout the launch process".

Late last year, Rocket Lab started building a launch pad on Mahia Peninsula near Gisborne to fire satellites into space.

The site will be home to the first launch of Rocket Lab's 18-metre Electron rocket, which is designed to send satellites of up to 150 kilograms into orbit.

Rocket Lab's customers include National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and lunar exploration company MoonExpress.

Its investors include United States aerospace giant Lockheed Martin, Bessemer Venture Partners (BVP), Khosla Ventures and Sir Stephen Tindall's K1W1 investment fund.