Rocket Lab announced on October 14, 2026, that the first flight of its larger, reusable Neutron rocket is now expected in 2027, later than previously planned. The company cited manufacturing issues with a carbon-composite component in the first-stage propellant tank as a primary reason for the delay.
Rocket Lab shares fell sharply in regular and after-hours trading following the announcement. The delay has raised investor concerns about the development timeline and pushed back potential revenue from the launch vehicle.
Neutron is designed to carry larger payloads than Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket. The company sees it as key to competing for larger satellite deployment contracts and challenging bigger players in the launch market.