Neutron (Rocket Lab): first-flight date & status
Next: Neutron first flight — NET 2027, Wallops Launch Complex 3 (no firm date).
Last checked November 4, 2026. Sources: Rocket Lab, Oct 14, 2026, Space.com, Oct 16, 2026.
When will Neutron launch? FAQ
When will Rocket Lab Neutron launch?
Rocket Lab expects Neutron's first launch in 2027. No month or day has been announced. The company says it will share a new target date after it finishes testing a complete first stage in the first quarter of 2027 (Rocket Lab, October 14, 2026; Space.com, October 16, 2026).
Why was Neutron delayed into 2027?
Inspectors found voids in the carbon-fibre layers of a newly cured forward propellant dome for the first stage. Rocket Lab changed its fibre-placement process and proved it on an aft dome, but still has to build, cure and inspect a new forward dome (expected by the end of 2026), then integrate and test a full first stage in Q1 2027 (Peter Beck via Space.com).
Where does Neutron launch from?
From Rocket Lab Launch Complex 3 at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island, Virginia, next to NASA's Wallops Flight Facility.
Why Neutron slipped to 2027
In an October 13, 2026 video, Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck said inspectors found voids in the carbon-fibre layers of a newly cured forward propellant dome, one of the large caps on Neutron's first-stage tanks. The voids did not necessarily mean the dome would fail, but Rocket Lab chose not to fly without its normal margins. It changed the automated fibre-placement process and ran an aft dome through it with good results.
What still has to happen before a firm date
- Build, cure and inspect a new forward dome (expected by the end of 2026).
- Integrate it into a complete Neutron first stage.
- Run the first-stage test campaign (targeted for Q1 2027).
- Rocket Lab then expects to announce a new target launch date.
Sources: Space.com, NASASpaceflight.
Neutron delay history
| When | First-launch target | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 (announced) | 2024 | Space.com |
| Later update | 2025 | Space.com |
| Later update | Early 2026 | Space.com |
| January 2026 (tank rupture in pressure test) | Late 2026 | Space.com |
| October 14, 2026 (dome voids) | 2027 (no firm date) | Rocket Lab |
What is Neutron?
Neutron is Rocket Lab's partially reusable medium-lift rocket. Its first stage is designed to be recovered at sea and flown again. It has not flown yet, so its performance figures are design targets.
| Builder | Rocket Lab |
|---|---|
| Class | Medium lift, partially reusable |
| Height | About 42 m (141 ft) (Space.com) |
| Reuse | Reusable first stage, ocean landing |
| Launch site | Launch Complex 3, Wallops Island, Virginia |
| Payload, engines | See Rocket Lab's Neutron page for official figures |
Where Neutron launches from
Neutron will fly from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 3 at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island, Virginia. See where to watch Wallops launches.
Neutron vs Electron
Electron stays Rocket Lab's small-satellite workhorse, flying mostly from New Zealand. Neutron is the larger vehicle for payloads Electron cannot carry. Neutron would give customers another reusable option in the medium-lift class; until it flies, that is a plan, not a result. See Electron and the Rocket Lab launch schedule.
Upcoming Neutron launches
None dated yet. When Launch Library 2 lists a Neutron launch, it appears here with local time, UTC and a countdown.
Follow every launch on the tracker, see Rocket Lab, or browse all rockets.
More Neutron questions
What is Neutron?
Rocket Lab's partially reusable medium-lift rocket, about 42 m (141 ft) tall, with a reusable first stage. It is the step up from the small Electron rocket for heavier commercial, civil and national-security payloads.
How does Neutron relate to Electron?
Electron stays Rocket Lab's small-satellite workhorse, flying mostly from New Zealand. Neutron is the larger vehicle for payloads Electron cannot carry.