Rocket Lab Advances Neutron Dome Work as First Launch Moves to 2027

Rocket Lab moved Neutron’s first launch to 2027 after defects surfaced in a composite tank dome, with the forward section still awaiting production and inspection.

The issue followed a January pressure test that ruptured an earlier version of the first-stage tank. Production later shifted to automated fiber placement. A redesign removed joints and increased thickness in selected sections, where voids appeared in the forward dome.

Rocket Lab reproduced the problem in tests and added manufacturing measures to address it. CEO Peter Beck said an aft dome made with the revised process had the highest composite quality the company had achieved. The forward dome still needs to be built and inspected.

Beck said Rocket Lab expected the forward dome’s construction and inspection to finish before Q1 2027. First-stage assembly and the subsequent test campaign were expected to wrap within the quarter. “I’d rather show you real-time progress than give you a date that I might have to walk back,” Beck said. He said Rocket Lab expected to be able to provide a more specific launch target after those milestones.

In August, Rocket Lab said its Stage 1 tank was aligned for delivery to the launch pad in Q4 2026, while the end-of-year launch window was narrowing. That timing referred to planned pad delivery, not a confirmed launch date. The October update moves the expected first launch to 2027 without specifying a month or quarter, adding manufacturing detail to the tank setback behind the schedule change.

Neutron is a reusable medium-class rocket under development; Rocket Lab also operates Electron launches and sells space systems. For the quarter ended June 30, Rocket Lab reported $234 million in revenue, up 62% year over year. Its backlog stood at $2.36 billion as of June 30, up 137% year over year. The company lists timely Neutron development and reliable production at scale among risks that could affect customer acceptance and future revenue.