Rocket Lab's Neutron Rocket Delayed Due to Composite Material Defects

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On October 14, the American aerospace company Rocket Lab announced that it will delay the first launch of the Neutron reusable medium-lift launch vehicle from the originally planned fourth quarter of 2026 to 2027. This adjustment involves the manufacturing and structural verification of the rocket's first-stage propellant tank. The company discovered internal porosity defects in a newly manufactured carbon fiber composite forward dome, has modified the production process, and initiated the manufacturing of replacement components. It plans to determine a new first launch date after completing first-stage structural assembly and subsequent pressure testing.

The Neutron rocket's first-stage propellant tank uses a large carbon fiber composite structure. In January 2026, Rocket Lab experienced a structural rupture during a hydraulic qualification test of the first-stage tank, and a subsequent investigation pointed to the previously used third-party hand layup manufacturing process. The company switched to using automated fiber placement equipment to manufacture the first-stage tank structure and modified the design, including eliminating some connecting joints and increasing local composite thickness at the forward and aft domes to improve structural strength and load-bearing capacity.

After manufacturing new components using automated fiber placement equipment, Rocket Lab discovered tiny pores between composite layers during inspection after curing of the forward dome. Through subsequent analysis and process testing, the company localized the defect to the thickened design area and resolved the related issues by adjusting the curing process. The aft dome manufactured with the improved process has completed production and inspection, and a new forward dome is being manufactured.

Rocket Lab's announced follow-up test schedule includes completing forward dome production, conducting ultrasonic testing and other non-destructive inspections, assembling the first-stage tank structure, and sequentially performing hydraulic testing and cryogenic testing. The company expects to complete forward dome manufacturing and inspection by the end of 2026, complete first-stage structural assembly and related testing in the first quarter of 2027, and then announce a more specific first launch date.

The Neutron rocket is designed with a height of 43 meters and a diameter of 7 meters, with a maximum payload capacity to low Earth orbit of 13,000 kilograms, using liquid oxygen and methane propellants. The first stage is equipped with 9 Archimedes engines, with a designed total liftoff thrust of approximately 6.45 million newtons, and the second stage uses 1 vacuum-optimized engine. The rocket's main carbon fiber composite structures are manufactured in Middle River, Maryland, USA, with final assembly and launch operations located at Launch Complex 3 at Wallops Island, Virginia. The launch facility was officially opened on August 28, 2025.