Rocket Lab delays Neutron rocket launch
October 15, 2026

By Chris Forrester



Rocket Lab suffered a 10 per cent drop in its share price in after hours trading on October 14th following news from founder and CEO Sir Peter Beck saying that the comp any had found a fault in its Neutron rocket which would impact its debut launch. Sir Peter told viewers that the problem had now been fixed.

Beck said that the all-new Neutron would now launch in 2027 while observers suggest that fixing the problem – and subsequent testing – would likely mean a 6-month delay. The Neutron rocket is widely seen as being the main rival to SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket.


Beck, in a video broadcast said: “Today, I’d like to talk about the progress on Neutron. I’ll also share the news that the first flight schedule has changed. Neutron is being developed on an extremely ambitious timeline. That said, we’re not just aiming to get it onto the launch pad for the first flight. As we build the first rocket, we’re also constructing the program’s long-term infrastructure. This is to scale up quickly and resolve global launch bottlenecks. But as I’ve said before, we won’t rush to the launch pad by taking unnecessary risks. I’ve also mentioned that development programs like Neutron naturally come with challenges. Recently, we encountered one of those challenges, which has delayed Neutron’s first launch to next year.”

Beck explained that earlier this year, the first stage tank being manufactured failed its qualification test. The cause was the hand layup process, which was done manually by an external partner. So Rocket Lab switched to a long-term mass production process.

“This involves using Automated Fibre Placement (AFP) equipment to stack carbon fibre quickly and precisely. Thanks to this switch, we were also able to make a few design improvements that are only possible with AFP. We eliminated the inserts, and reinforced the forward and aft propellant dome sections of the Neutron first stage to increase strength. There has been significant progress over the past few months. We’ve successfully produced many parts, including the first stage body sections and propellant domes, using AFP equipment,” he stated.

“However, recently we identified an issue in the propellant dome manufacturing process. This slowed down production and led us to investigate the problem more closely. Please bear with me as I explain the details. Carbon composite sections are laid up in a mold and then go through a curing process. Curing is a chemical reaction activated by heat. This reaction turns the epoxy into a rigid, cross-linked polymer, and that polymer binds the carbon fibres together. Curing is typically done in an autoclave. Inside the autoclave, pressure is applied to compact the carbon fibre layers and strengthen the bond between the fibres and epoxy,” he added.

“Recently, while inspecting a newly cured forward dome, we found some voids within the carbon composite layers. That doesn’t necessarily mean this dome would fail during flight. But our principle is not to move to the next stage until we’re confident the system has an adequate safety margin,” Beck told viewers, adding that the problem had now been fixed.

“Neutron is the world’s largest carbon composite rocket, so it required developing new processes. These processes take time now, but in the long term, they provide enormous scaling advantages. That’s why we’re building the factory and facilities alongside the first rocket. It’s also why we’re already making the second and third rockets before the first flight,” Beck concluded.

· 2021: Announced, first launch 2024

· 2024: Pushed to 2025

· 2025: Pushed to 2026

· 2026: Pushed to 2027