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Rocket Lab Neutron
Rocket Lab Neutron
Rocket Lab Neutron
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Neutron
FunctionMedium-lift launch vehicle
ManufacturerRocket Lab
Country of originUnited States
Cost per launch$50 million[1]
Size
Height
  • 42.8 m
Diameter
  • 7 m
  • 5 m
Mass
  • 480,000 kg
Associated rockets
ComparableFalcon 9
Launch history
StatusIn development
Launch sitesMARS, LC-3
First flight2026 (planned)
Payloads
Payload to low Earth orbit
Mass
  • 13,000 kg
  • 15,000 kg
Payload to Moon
Payload to Venus
Mass
  • 1,500 kg
Payload to Mars
Mass
  • 1,500 kg
Stages information
First stage
Height
  • 42.8 m
Diameter
  • 7 m
Powered by
Maximum thrust
  • 6,600 kN
Second stage
Height
  • 11.5 m
Diameter
  • 4.9 m
Powered by
Maximum thrust
  • 900 kN
[edit on Wikidata]

Neutron is a partially reusable, medium-lift, two-stage launch vehicle under development by Rocket Lab. Announced on March 1, 2021, the vehicle is designed to be capable of delivering a payload of 13,000 kg (28,700 lb) to low Earth orbit in a partially reusable configuration,[2] and will focus on the growing megaconstellation satellite delivery market.[3] First launch is expected after the first quarter of 2026.[4]

Design

[edit]

Neutron is designed to be partially reusable. The rocket's first stage has a 7 m (23 ft) diameter, 4 landing legs and canards, and 2 fairing halves. To maximize reusability, Rocket Lab uses a "hungry hippo" payload fairing design in which, instead of fairings being detached from the first or second stage as is typical in modern rockets, the fairings are integrated with the first stage via hinges. Neutron has two fairing segments mounted in this way. The first stage is powered by 9 oxygen-rich staged-combustion CH4/LOx ("methalox") Archimedes rocket engines.

The second stage of Neutron is completely contained within the Hungry Hippo fairing. It is hung from the separation plane, in that the tank structure of the stage is in tension when under thrust. Like the first stage, its structure is composed of carbon composite. It is powered by one Archimedes engine.

The first stage is intended to propulsively land on a floating landing platform downrange in the Atlantic Ocean named Return on Investment.

Design History

[edit]

An earlier design of Neutron (March 2021), included a rocket 40 m (130 ft) tall with a 4.5 m (15 ft)-diameter payload fairing. Rocket Lab stated that they intended for the first stage of the vehicle to be reusable, with landings planned on a floating landing platform downrange in the Atlantic Ocean.[3][5]

On December 2, 2021, Rocket Lab unveiled a revised design for Neutron, featuring a tapered shape with a maximum diameter of 7 m (23 ft).[2] Rocket Lab abandoned opts for a return-to-launch-site reusability profile and on[clarification needed] a floating platform. Instead of a conventional payload fairing that is jettisoned and recovered at sea, the fairing is integrated into the vehicle, and opens during stage separation to release the second stage and payload, and then closes before the first stage lands back on earth. The rocket features a unique interstage design where the second stage is "hung" from the first stage structure.[6]

On September 22, 2022, another revised design was unveiled at an investor day, with the first stage engine count increased from seven to nine, and the engine architecture changed from gas-generator to oxygen rich staged combustion. This was done primarily to allow for a lower turbine temperature, while maintaining the same specific impulse. The engine will run with a significantly lower chamber pressure than other similar engines, at the cost of some performance. The number of fairing segments was reduced from four to two.[7]

On July 27, 2023, new concept art on the Rocket Lab website showed a further revised design, with a reduction in the number of payload fairing sections from 4 to 2, redesigned landing legs, and small changes to the overall shape of the rocket. The number of payload fairing sections was reduced in order to allow for simpler fairing opening mechanisms while the landing legs were redesigned in order to be optimized for landings on floating platforms, allowing for an increase in launch availability. The redesigned legs feature a folding mechanism similar to the SpaceX Falcon 9 landing legs.[8][9]

During the company's earnings call in February 2025, a plan to modify the offshore barge Oceanus were unveiled. When modifications are complete, the ship will be named Return On Investment.[10] The 120 m (400 ft) ship will be refit by Bollinger Ship in Louisiana.[11]

Operations

[edit]

On February 28, 2022, Rocket Lab announced that Neutron will launch from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) within NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on the eastern coast of Virginia.[6][12][13] It was also announced that the company will build a 250,000 square feet manufacturing and operations facility adjacent to the Wallops Flight Facility.[13] Ground was broken for this facility on April 11, 2022.[14] As of December 2021, Rocket Lab is planning for the first launch to take place no earlier than July 2025.[6] Test firing of Neutron's Archimedes engine occurred at NASA's Stennis Space Center in Hancock County, Mississippi.[15]

In September 2025, Rocket Lab held a ceremony to mark the launch pad (including deluge system) being ready for launch.[16]

Development timeline

[edit]

Past and future development milestones for Neutron.[17]

Date Milestone Status
Q2 2022 Moulds and tooling for Neutron completed Completed[18]
Q3 2022 Full-scale prototype hardware for Archimedes and Neutron being made Completed[19]
Nov 4, 2022 Opening Archimedes test complex at NASA Stennis Space Center Completed[20]
Q4 2022 Pre-burner hotfire Test of Archimedes engine for the first time Completed[21]
Jan 10, 2023 Testing engine ignition on development hardware Completed[22]
Q1 2023 Test stand infrastructure completed for Neutron Stage 2 tank Completed[23]
Aug 8, 2023 First Stage 2 build Completed[24]
Oct 4, 2023 Stage two structural and cryogenic testing Completed[25]
May 6, 2024 First Archimedes development engine built Completed[26]
Aug 8, 2024 First Archimedes engine hot fire Completed[27]
2024 Testing of all avionics and communications devices with critical onboard software and GNC algorithms Completed[28]
NET 2024 Flight mechanisms test program In progress
NET 2025 Stage 1 build In progress
NET 2025 Stage 2 static fire In progress[29]
NET 2025 Stage 1 static fire Not started
Q3 2025 Launch Complex 3 complete Completed[29]
NET 2025 Final integration In progress[29]
Q1 2026 Delivery to Launch Complex 3 for qualification testing and acceptance Not started[4]
NET 2026 Launch Not started[4]

Applications

[edit]

Neutron is designed to lift up to 15,000 kg (33,100 lb) while expended, 13,000 kg (28,700 lb) while landing the booster downrange and up to 8,500 kg (18,700 lb) with the first stage returning to the launch site.[30] Rocket Lab forecasts Neutron will be able to launch 98% of all payloads launched through 2029. Rocket Lab also intends the design to be able to support constellation deployment, deep space missions, and eventually human spaceflight.[5]

In May 2025, Rocket Lab was awarded an evaluation contract to test for compatibility of Neutron with the USAF Rocket Cargo program for return-to-Earth cargo delivery anywhere on Earth.[31]

Launches

[edit]

The first flight of Neutron is expected to be in mid 2026.[32]

In September 2025, Rocket Lab planned to launch Neutron three times in 2026, and five times in 2027.[16]

Prospects and market position

[edit]

According to Rocket Lab, Neutron’s expected debut launch in 2025 also puts the launch vehicle in a strong position to on-ramp onto the U.S. Government’s National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Lane 1 program, an indefinite delivery indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract valued at $5.6 billion over a five-year period. RFPs for the program opened on October 30, 2024 with approved new launch vehicles to be on-ramped to the program in Spring 2025.

In November 2024 Rocket Lab announced that it has signed a multi-launch agreement with a confidential commercial satellite constellation operator to launch a satellite constellation using Neutron. Under the contract, Rocket Lab will launch two dedicated missions on Neutron starting from mid-2026. The missions will launch from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 3 on Wallops Island, Virginia. The launch service agreement for these missions signifies the beginning of a productive collaboration that could see Neutron deploy the entire constellation.[33]

See also

[edit]

Launch systems of comparable class and technology

[edit]

(Reusable methane-fueled medium lift-off systems)

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Rocket Lab Neutron

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from Grokipedia
The Neutron is a medium-lift, partially reusable two-stage orbital launch vehicle developed by the American aerospace manufacturer Rocket Lab. Standing 43 meters tall with a 7-meter diameter and a 5-meter fairing, it is designed to deliver up to 13,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit (LEO) or 1,500 kilograms to Mars or Venus, using liquid oxygen and methane propellants powered by nine sea-level Archimedes engines on the first stage and one vacuum-optimized Archimedes on the second stage. Announced in March 2021, Neutron was conceived to provide cost-effective and responsive launch services for satellite constellation deployments, cargo resupply to the International Space Station, and interplanetary missions, building on Rocket Lab's experience with its smaller Electron rocket. The vehicle's design incorporates lightweight carbon composite structures for the primary tanks and an "Hungry Hippo" fairing mechanism for rapid payload integration and reusability, enabling the first stage and fairings to return to the launch site after separation. Development progressed through key milestones, including the first hot-fire test of an Archimedes engine in 2024, qualification of the second stage structure in April 2025, and completion of the first stage top section qualification in May 2025, with ten engines now in production. Rocket Lab has delayed the maiden flight to 2026 from Launch Complex 3 at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport in Virginia to allow for additional qualification testing. On January 21, 2026, qualification testing of a Stage 1 tank resulted in a rupture during a hydrostatic pressure trial while intentionally pushing the structure to its limits to validate structural integrity and safety margins. There was no significant damage to the test structure or facilities, the next Stage 1 tank is already in production, and Neutron’s development continues. The team is reviewing the test data to determine the extent of the impact to the launch schedule, with an update planned for the company's Q4 2025 earnings call in February 2026. The company has secured contracts including NASA's VADR program and U.S. Space Force missions.

Development

Announcement and objectives

Rocket Lab announced the development of its Neutron rocket on March 1, 2021, during a live-streamed event led by CEO Peter Beck. The announcement coincided with the company's plans to go public via a SPAC merger, positioning Neutron as a key expansion of Rocket Lab's launch capabilities. The primary objectives of Neutron were to bridge the gap between the small-lift Electron rocket and larger heavy-lift vehicles, targeting the medium-lift market for constellation deployments, national security missions, and commercial deep space operations. Specifically, Neutron aimed to enable dedicated, high-cadence launches for payloads up to 8,000 kg to low Earth orbit, facilitating efficient batch deployments to precise orbital planes for mega-constellations. Beck emphasized that the rocket would unlock a new category of launches, building directly on Electron's proven success in small satellite missions while scaling to meet surging demand for medium-class vehicles. Strategically, the Neutron program responded to the growing need for reusable medium-lift options amid intensifying competition, particularly from SpaceX's Falcon 9, which dominated the market for similar payload classes. Rocket Lab positioned Neutron as a direct alternative, with the payload capacity refined to 13,000 kg to LEO. Early design drivers focused on a partially reusable architecture to achieve higher throughput and reduced costs per kilogram compared to expendable systems, inspired by Electron's carbon composite structures and rapid turnaround but optimized for larger-scale operations. This approach aimed to deliver reliable access for deep space missions, including up to 2,000 kg to the Moon, while prioritizing reusability of the first stage and fairings to lower barriers for frequent launches.

Key milestones and testing

Development of Neutron progressed steadily from 2022, with key focus on engine qualification and structural validation to support the vehicle's medium-lift capabilities. In December 2021, Rocket Lab announced the selection of the Archimedes engine for Neutron's first and second stages. Development progressed, with the first hot-fire test conducted in August 2024. These efforts laid the groundwork for scalable propulsion, aligning with Neutron's objectives for constellation deployment and national security missions. By 2023, construction commenced on Launch Complex 3 at Wallops Island, Virginia, marking a pivotal infrastructure milestone for Neutron's East Coast operations. Concurrently, structural testing of carbon composite components began, evaluating the lightweight yet robust materials under tensile and pressure loads to ensure integrity during ascent. In 2024, Archimedes engine development reached completion, culminating in full-thrust hot-fire tests at NASA's Stennis Space Center, where the engine achieved 102% power and full mission duration. These tests confirmed the engine's reliability for Neutron's nine-engine first-stage cluster, producing approximately 1,340 kN of thrust each. First-stage hardware integration also began, assembling core structures with propulsion and avionics systems ahead of full vehicle stacking. Entering 2025, Launch Complex 3 became operational in August, featuring a water deluge system and launch mount designed for Neutron's high-cadence reuse. Stage 1 static fire testing is now targeted for early 2026, simulating full-duration burns of the clustered Archimedes engines on the integrated booster. Design refinements included the removal of the barrel-shaped hull section and updates to pylon structures for improved aerodynamics and manufacturing efficiency. However, on November 11, 2025, Rocket Lab announced a delay of the maiden flight to 2026 to prioritize vehicle reliability and qualification. Testing milestones by mid-2025 encompassed over 20 Archimedes engine hot-fires, with the campaign scaling to three to four tests per day to qualify performance across start-up, steady-state, and shutdown phases. Qualification efforts also validated fairing deployment mechanisms, ensuring the reusable "hungry hippo" fairings open reliably post-payload separation, and interstage separation systems, which underwent proof testing at 125% of maximum expected loads to support clean stage jettison. On January 21, 2026, qualification testing of the Neutron Stage 1 carbon composite tank at Rocket Lab's facility in Middle River, Maryland, resulted in a rupture during a hydrostatic pressure trial. The test intentionally pressurized the tank beyond its rated limits with water to verify structural integrity and safety margins. Rocket Lab stated that testing failures are not uncommon during qualification, as structures are pushed to their limits to ensure robust launch requirements are met. There was no significant damage to the test structure or facilities, the next Stage 1 tank is already in production, and the Neutron development campaign continues while the team reviews the test data to assess any impact on the launch schedule. The company intends to provide an update on the Neutron schedule during its Q4 2025 earnings call in February 2026.

Funding and challenges

The development of the Neutron rocket has been supported by a combination of internal revenue streams and external contracts. Rocket Lab has primarily funded the program through profits generated from its Electron small-launch vehicle operations, which contributed to a 36% year-over-year revenue increase in Q2 2025, alongside a contract backlog exceeding $1 billion that includes launch services and space systems. In 2023, the company secured a $515 million contract with a U.S. government agency to build 18 satellites, providing significant financial backing for broader operations including Neutron advancement, though not exclusively allocated to the rocket. By 2025, additional support came from selection into the U.S. Space Force's $5.6 billion National Security Space Launch program, enabling Neutron to compete for national security missions, and a new contract for a 2026 point-to-point cargo demonstration with the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory. Neutron's development has encountered several key challenges, including supply chain disruptions in 2023 and 2024 that delayed the program's timeline from an initial late-2024 target to mid-2025. Engine development for the Archimedes motor, which employs a complex oxidizer-rich staged combustion cycle, has presented technical risks related to achieving reliable performance and scalability for reusability. Furthermore, intense market competition from established providers like SpaceX's Falcon 9 has pressured Rocket Lab to differentiate Neutron in the medium-lift segment through cost and responsiveness. To address these hurdles, Rocket Lab established a partnership with NASA, utilizing the Stennis Space Center in Mississippi as the primary testing facility for the Archimedes engines, which has facilitated critical hot-fire tests and infrastructure development. Cost-control strategies include targeting a per-launch price of $50 million to $55 million, enabling competitive margins while aiming for internal production costs around $20 million to $25 million per flight. In 2025, the company reported progress on resolving design challenges, such as completing structural and cryogenic qualification tests for the second stage and advancing first-stage assembly with reinforcements for enhanced durability. In November 2025, Rocket Lab announced that the maiden flight has been delayed to 2026, with the first launch targeted for the first half of the year from Launch Complex 3. Despite these efforts, certification and integration hurdles have raised concerns about potential further delays if engine validation and launch infrastructure timelines face additional setbacks.

Design

Overall configuration and specifications

The Neutron rocket is a partially reusable, two-stage medium-lift launch vehicle developed by Rocket Lab, consisting of a first stage powered by nine Archimedes engines and a second stage with a single vacuum-optimized Archimedes engine, topped by an integrated payload fairing. The overall design emphasizes carbon composite structures for lightweight efficiency, with a tapered first stage profile to enhance aerodynamic performance during ascent. Physically, Neutron stands 43 meters tall with an overall diameter of 7 meters at the base, tapering to 4.9 meters on the second stage, and a liftoff mass of 480,000 kilograms. It utilizes liquid oxygen (LOX) and liquid methane as propellants for both stages, enabling high performance in reusable configurations. The payload fairing measures 5.5 meters in diameter and provides 16.5 meters of usable payload length in a two-segment clamshell configuration that remains captive to the first stage for reusability, avoiding traditional jettison. In terms of performance, Neutron can deliver up to 15,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit (LEO) in expendable mode, 13,000 kilograms in downrange landing (DRL) reusable mode at 500 km and 40° inclination, and 8,500 kilograms in return-to-launch-site (RTLS) reusable mode under the same conditions. For geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) at 40° inclination, capabilities reach 2,800 kilograms expendable and 1,800 kilograms DRL reusable. Polar orbit performance to 500 km LEO is 11,800 kilograms expendable, 10,100 kilograms DRL, and 6,200 kilograms RTLS. By 2025, the design was finalized with the incorporation of folding landing legs on the first stage to facilitate compact transport and reliable recovery, alongside refinements to the tapered structure for improved stability and efficiency. This configuration positions Neutron as a versatile medium-lift option, briefly referencing development goals for cost-effective constellation deployments without delving into operational sequencing.

Propulsion system

The Neutron launch vehicle's propulsion system is centered on the Archimedes engine, a family of reusable methalox engines developed by Rocket Lab using liquid oxygen (LOX) and liquid methane (LCH4) propellants in an oxygen-rich staged combustion cycle. This architecture enables high performance and reusability, with the first stage powered by nine sea-level-optimized Archimedes engines arranged in an octagonal pattern plus a central engine, delivering a combined thrust of 6,600 kN at liftoff. Each engine generates 733 kN of thrust and features deep-throttling capability down to 65% for precise control during ascent and potential powered landings. The engines incorporate extensive 3D-printed components, including turbopump housings, pre-burners, main combustion chambers, and valve assemblies, which accelerate development and reduce manufacturing costs through rapid iteration at Rocket Lab's Engine Development Complex in Long Beach, California. The second stage is propelled by a single vacuum-optimized Archimedes engine producing 900 kN of thrust, optimized with an extended nozzle for higher efficiency in space. This engine supports multiple restarts—up to six times—to enable complex mission profiles, such as multiple payload deployments or orbital adjustments, and is integrated with cold gas thrusters for three-axis control during coast phases. The overall specific impulse for the Archimedes engines is targeted at approximately 320 seconds, providing efficient delta-v for Neutron's 13,000 kg payload capacity to low Earth orbit while scaling to the vehicle's 480,000 kg liftoff mass. Propellant management systems ensure reliable feed to both stages, with the first stage's tanks accommodating around 300,000 kg of cryogenic propellants to sustain the high-thrust burn. Engine integration emphasizes reliability and autonomy, with gimbaled nozzles on all Archimedes units providing pitch and yaw steering via hydraulic actuators, while roll control on the first stage is handled by differential throttling. Embedded sensors throughout the engines and propellant systems feed real-time health data to the vehicle's avionics, supporting predictive maintenance and integration with the autonomous flight safety system. Testing of the Archimedes engines, including full-duration hot fires exceeding 100% thrust, has validated these features at NASA's Stennis Space Center, confirming stable operation across the throttle range and combustion stability in the oxygen-rich environment. This propulsion design prioritizes simplicity and manufacturability, drawing on lessons from Rocket Lab's Rutherford engine to achieve rapid production rates for Neutron's operational cadence.

Reusability and recovery

Neutron employs partial reusability, with its first stage designed for multiple flights through propulsive landing, while the second stage remains expendable to optimize performance and costs. The first stage, constructed from carbon composite materials, incorporates a captive fairing that stays attached during ascent and reentry, enabling reuse of both the booster and payload enclosure without separation mechanisms. This approach draws lessons from Electron's reentry experiments, where base heat shields and aerodynamic testing informed Neutron's thermal protection system (TPS) to withstand atmospheric reentry stresses. Recovery options for the first stage include return-to-launch-site (RTLS) landings at Launch Complex 3 in Virginia or downrange precision landings on an offshore marine platform to maximize payload capacity for demanding missions. For offshore operations, Rocket Lab has modified a 400-foot barge named Return On Investment (ROI), originally the vessel Oceanus, into a dedicated landing platform; modifications began in July 2025 at Bollinger Shipyards in Louisiana to support efficient booster recovery and transport back to the launch site. The platform operates off the U.S. East Coast, facilitating rapid post-landing assessments and refurbishment. Key recovery hardware on the first stage includes four folding carbon composite landing legs that deploy for touchdown stability, a set of four fixed canards near the nose for aerodynamic control during high-angle-of-attack reentry, and a base TPS to protect against heating. The nine sea-level Archimedes engines, powered by liquid oxygen and methane, provide throttle capability and relight functionality, with the centerline engine enabling the final landing burn after reentry. These elements support powered vertical landings, informed by Electron's Rutherford engine reuse demonstrations, where pre-flown units underwent successful requalification for multiple missions. Rocket Lab targets at least 10 reuses per first-stage booster, with a design goal of turnaround times under 24 hours through minimal refurbishment needs, such as no engine cleaning due to methane propellant's clean-burning properties. Challenges include developing durable TPS materials to handle repeated reentries without significant degradation and achieving high precision in landing accuracy to ensure reliable recoveries. Future studies may explore second-stage recovery options, but current operations prioritize first-stage reusability to reduce launch costs and increase cadence.

Operations

Launch infrastructure

The primary launch site for the Neutron rocket is Launch Complex 3 (LC-3) at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) on Wallops Island, Virginia. This facility serves as the dedicated test, launch, and landing site for Neutron operations. Construction of LC-3 began in late 2023 and reached completion in August 2025, marking a key milestone ahead of Neutron's debut flight in 2026. The centerpiece is a 9-meter-tall launch mount fabricated from over 700 tons of steel, supported by hydraulic mechanisms for secure vehicle hold-down and release. Supporting infrastructure includes propellant farms with capacity for 180,000 gallons of liquid oxygen (LOX) and liquid natural gas (LNG), as well as 45,000 gallons of liquid nitrogen across three vertical tanks; a 200-foot-tall water supply tower holding more than 200,000 gallons; and equipment vaults housing electrical and control systems. An advanced water deluge system provides acoustic suppression, flame mitigation, and heat protection during liftoff. Rocket stages are stacked using cranes in an adjacent integration area before vertical positioning on the mount, with initial operations emphasizing streamlined handling to reduce turnaround times. The site's design incorporates vertical integration principles to minimize ground handling risks and enable rapid processing, supporting a target cadence of more than 20 launches annually once fully operational. While LC-3 is the primary site, Rocket Lab has considered Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand for potential early testing phases, though all initial flights are planned from Wallops. Future expansions at Wallops aim to further enhance high-cadence capabilities through additional infrastructure upgrades. As of late 2025, the pad is fully activated and prepared for Neutron's inaugural launch.

Mission profile and costs

The Neutron rocket's mission profile commences with liftoff from Launch Complex 3 at Wallops Island, Virginia, powered by nine Archimedes engines on the first stage operating at full throttle. The vehicle passes through maximum dynamic pressure (Max-Q) approximately one minute after launch, followed by fairing deployment shortly thereafter; however, in reusable configurations, the fairing remains attached to the first stage rather than being jettisoned. Stage separation occurs around 2.5 minutes into flight after main engine cutoff, enabling the second stage—powered by a single vacuum-optimized Archimedes engine—to perform the insertion burn into the desired orbit. In reusable missions, the first stage executes a boost-back burn approximately 2.8 minutes post-separation to reverse trajectory, followed by atmospheric reentry and a landing burn, achieving touchdown about eight minutes after liftoff either at the launch site (Return to Launch Site) or downrange on a marine platform (Down Range Landing). The second stage remains expendable, deploying payloads such as satellites for mega-constellations or interplanetary probes. Reusability features, including the integrated fairing and first-stage recovery, enable rapid turnaround times to support high-cadence operations. In November 2025, Rocket Lab announced a delay of the first launch to early 2026 to maximize chances of success. Rocket Lab aims for an increasing launch cadence with Neutron, targeting one test flight in early 2026, three in 2027, five in 2028, and seven or more annually thereafter. Initial flights in 2026 will operate in expendable mode to validate performance, transitioning to reusable profiles later that year or in 2027 for missions like the U.S. Air Force's point-to-point cargo demonstration. Operational costs for a reusable Neutron launch are targeted at $50–55 million, offering a competitive rate of approximately $3,850 per kilogram to low Earth orbit based on its 13,000 kg payload capacity. This pricing includes around $20–25 million in production costs per vehicle, with reusability expected to reduce marginal expenses through booster refurbishment budgeted at roughly $20 million per cycle, enabling economic scalability for frequent missions.

Applications

Payload capabilities

The Neutron launch vehicle supports a variety of payload mass classes tailored to different orbital destinations and reusability configurations. To low Earth orbit (LEO) at 500 km altitude and 40° inclination, it can deliver 15,000 kg in fully expendable mode, 13,000 kg with downrange recovery of the first stage, and 8,500 kg with return-to-launch-site recovery. For geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) at 40° inclination, capacities reach 2,800 kg expendable and 1,800 kg downrange recoverable. Lunar transfer missions are enabled with up to 2,000 kg payload mass. The fairing envelope accommodates payloads up to 5.5 meters in diameter, providing substantial volume for oversized or voluminous satellites. It supports compatibility with standard deployers like ESPA rings, facilitating rideshare missions that can deploy more than 100 CubeSats from a single launch via multi-payload dispensers on the second stage. Payload integration interfaces feature a standard 1,575 mm bolt circle diameter, with an optional 2,616 mm configuration for larger adapters. Powered payload adapters are available to supply electrical power to spacecraft with electric propulsion systems, enabling extended upper-stage operations. Special capabilities emphasize flexibility for constellation deployments through dedicated rideshare options and second-stage restart for precise orbit insertion of multiple payloads. The design incorporates inherent vibration isolation features to minimize acoustic and dynamic loads on sensitive instruments.

Customers and contracts

Rocket Lab secured its first dedicated launch contract for the Neutron vehicle in November 2024 with a confidential commercial satellite constellation operator, agreeing to two dedicated missions starting in mid-2026 from Launch Complex 3 at Wallops Island, Virginia. This agreement marks the initial commercial commitment for Neutron, supporting the deployment of a satellite network in low Earth orbit and demonstrating the vehicle's role in enabling responsive constellation builds. In May 2025, the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory awarded Rocket Lab a contract to demonstrate point-to-point cargo delivery capabilities using Neutron no earlier than 2026, as part of the Rapid Efficient Global Logistics (REGAL) initiative within the broader Rocket Cargo program. The mission will test re-entry and global delivery of cargo from space, aligning with U.S. Space Force efforts to enhance agile logistics for warfighters, with funding drawn from the Air Force's $54.2 million allocation for point-to-point delivery services in fiscal year 2025. This contract positions Neutron as a key enabler for military experimentation in rapid Earth-to-Earth transport. Government interest in Neutron extends to national security and civil space applications. In December 2023, Rocket Lab was selected as prime contractor for a $515 million firm-fixed-price agreement with the U.S. Space Development Agency (SDA) to design, build, and operate 18 satellites for the Tranche 2 Transport Layer-Beta, contributing to the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture for secure communications and missile warning. While the initial contract focuses on satellite production with delivery targeted for 2027, Neutron's payload capacity matches the needs for deploying these proliferated assets in low Earth orbit. Additionally, NASA has expressed interest in Neutron through its selection for the Venture-class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare (VADR) launch services contract, supporting small science and technology missions potentially including Artemis-related payloads. As of 2025, Rocket Lab continues to pursue certification for national security launches. Following a request for proposals issued in October 2024, Neutron was on-ramped to the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 3 Lane 1 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract in March 2025, alongside Stoke Space, granting access to bid on up to $5.6 billion in missions over five years for proliferated and lower-risk payloads. This inclusion targets Neutron's certification for NSSL operations by spring 2025, aligning with its debut flight timeline and enabling competition for Space Development Agency and other Department of Defense missions.

Launches

Development flights

The development of Rocket Lab's Neutron rocket has included extensive ground-based testing prior to any flight attempts, building on the company's experience with over 70 successful Electron launches by late 2025. Key prior tests encompassed qualification of the Archimedes engines, with the first hot fire achieving 102% power in August 2024 and full-duration static fires completed by August 2025, enabling production of flight-ready units at a rate of one every 11 days. Integrated stage testing, including structural qualification of the second stage to withstand 1.3 million pounds of tensile force in April 2025 and cryogenic proofing of avionics, has validated critical systems like stage separation mechanisms and fairing actuation without the need for suborbital hops. The maiden flight, designated as a non-revenue demonstration mission, is targeted for mid-2026 from Launch Complex 3 at Wallops Island, Virginia. Primary objectives include verifying stage separation, fairing deployment via the "hungry hippo" design that remains attached to the reusable first stage, and an initial landing attempt through a soft splashdown in the Atlantic Ocean to gather reentry data under a high-angle-of-attack profile. Success criteria emphasize reaching orbit with at least 90% probability, prioritizing ascent and upper stage performance over a guaranteed booster recovery on this high-risk test. As of November 2025, following an announcement on November 11, the maiden flight has been delayed to mid-2026 to maximize the probability of success on the debut attempt, after the opening of LC-3 in August and completion of vehicle integration. This progression leverages Electron's proven reliability, with its 74th mission occurring on November 5, 2025, to inform Neutron's rapid reusability goals, such as 24-hour turnarounds between flights.

Operational launches

Rocket Lab plans to conduct three operational launches of the Neutron rocket in 2026, marking the transition from development to production missions with real payloads. The first mission, scheduled for the first quarter of 2026, will serve as a cargo demonstration for the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory under the Rocket Cargo survivability experiment, testing point-to-point global delivery capabilities with a return-to-Earth profile from Launch Complex 3 in Virginia. In the second and third quarters, two dedicated launches will deploy satellites for a confidential commercial constellation operator, supporting mid-inclination orbits from the same site. The third launch of the year is earmarked for a commercial rideshare mission, accommodating multiple smaller payloads to low Earth orbit. Projections for 2027 include five operational launches, focusing on national security missions through the U.S. Space Force's National Security Space Launch program and potential deep space applications, such as interplanetary cargo with up to 1,500 kg to Mars or Venus trajectories. This year will also feature the first fully reusable flight, building on the 2026 re-entry demonstration. As of November 2025, no operational launches have occurred, and actual outcomes—such as launch dates, sites, payloads, target orbits, and success metrics—will be documented upon execution, with the standard mission profile involving a two-stage ascent to orbit followed by first-stage recovery. Launch cadence is expected to evolve from these initial 2-3 annual flights to more than 20 per year by 2028, supported by a manifest backlog that includes multiple contracted missions amid a total company order backlog exceeding $1 billion.

References

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