Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck pinned the delay on manufacturing issues identified in the forward propellant dome on the launch vehicle’s first stage.
- Beck said that the company has identified manufacturing fixes for the issue, giving the company the confidence to move forward.
- The CEO said that building a new forward dome and inspecting it to confirm there are no further issues will be completed before the first quarter.
- Beck noted continued strong demand, including upcoming contract announcements, and said customers value reliability over the earliest possible debut.
Shares of Rocket Lab (RKLB) declined 8% after hours on Wednesday after the company said its Neutron rocket will not fly until next year, the latest in a series of schedule slips for the vehicle central to its growth plans.
The stock had dropped 8% in the regular trading session to $59.18 and dived further after hours to as low as $53.44.
RKLB’s Manufacturing Issue Forces Delay
Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck pinned the delay on manufacturing issues identified in the forward propellant dome on the launch vehicle’s first stage.
“They don’t necessarily mean that the dome would fail on flight, but our practice is to proceed only when we believe the system has the appropriate margins,” Beck said in a video update. “Possible success isn’t our standard.”
Beck said that the company has identified manufacturing fixes for the issue, giving the company the confidence to move forward. However, the process of making a new forward dome, coupled with the time it took to investigate, identify, and resolve the issue, has delayed the vehicle’s launch, he said. The added time will also be used to make upgrades to other parts of the vehicle that were previously planned for future flights, he added.
When Will Neutron Launch Now?
The CEO said that building a new forward dome and inspecting it to confirm there are no further issues will be completed before the first quarter. The assembly of the complete first stage of the rocket is expected to be completed within the quarter, and the company will be in a better position to announce a launch date then, he added.
Beck noted continued strong demand, including upcoming contract announcements, and said customers value reliability over the earliest possible debut.
“We believe Neutron is going to be a game changer, and taking the time now to solve these challenges means we’re in a better position to deliver a rocket that’s ready to meet the needs for the industry for years to come,” he added.
A Series Of Delays For Neutron
Neutron was unveiled in 2021 with an original first-flight target of 2024. That goal later moved to mid-2025, then into 2026. A first-stage tank rupture during hydrostatic testing in January 2026 forced another revision to no earlier than the fourth quarter of 2026. In August, Beck had said the window for an end-of-year launch was “narrowing,” with the company focused on pad delivery in Q4 followed by testing.
Neutron is intended as a reusable medium-lift competitor in a market currently dominated by SpaceX’s Falcon 9, supporting both external customers and Rocket Lab’s own satellite plans.
How Did RKLB Retail Traders React?
On Stocktwits, retail sentiment around RKLB stock stayed within the ‘bearish’ territory over the past 24 hours, while message volume increased from ‘low’ to ‘normal’ levels.
A Stocktwits user dismissed the selloff, noting that the company had previously warned of possible delays.
View this Stocktwits post
Another user, meanwhile, expressed frustration at the fresh delay.
View this Stocktwits post
RKLB stock has dropped 15% year-to-date.
For updates and corrections, email newsroom[at]stocktwits[dot]com.<