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Rocket Lab Neutron Explained: Payload, Reusability and First Launch Status

Oct 13, 2026

Neutron is Rocket Lab's reusable medium-lift rocket. It is 43 metres tall, 7 metres in diameter and designed to carry 13,000 kg to low Earth orbit (LEO) or 1,500 kg to Mars or Venus. Nine Archimedes methane engines power a first stage that is meant to land on an ocean platform, and the fairing stays attached to the first stage for reuse. Neutron had not flown by October 2026: in August 2026 Rocket Lab said it was targeting delivery of the rocket to its launch pad in Virginia in the fourth quarter of 2026, with the first launch to follow.

This guide summarises what Rocket Lab publishes about Neutron's design, launch site, customers and status. You can compare Neutron with other launchers on the Neutron vehicle page and the rocket comparison on Carrier Space.

Neutron at a glance

  • Height: 43 m.
  • Diameter: 7 m; fairing diameter 5 m.
  • Liftoff mass: 480,000 kg.
  • Payload: 13,000 kg to LEO and 1,500 kg to Mars or Venus.
  • Propellants: liquid oxygen and methane.
  • Engines: nine Archimedes on the first stage, one Archimedes Vacuum on the second stage.
  • Reusability: reusable first stage with sea landing and a captive, reusable fairing.
  • Launch site: Rocket Lab Launch Complex 3, Wallops Island, Virginia.
  • Status: in final development; first launch after pad delivery targeted for Q4 2026.

Archimedes engines

Archimedes is a 3D-printed, reusable liquid oxygen and methane engine that uses an oxidiser-rich staged combustion cycle. Rocket Lab says each sea-level engine produces 165,000 lbf (733 kN) and that the nine engines of the first stage give a total liftoff thrust of 1,450,000 lbf. The company adds that Archimedes operates at lower stress levels than other rocket engines to make rapid reuse possible.

The second stage uses Archimedes Vacuum, which has a nozzle 2.5 metres taller than the sea-level version and produces 200,000 lbf (890 kN). Engine testing takes place at Rocket Lab's Archimedes Test Complex at NASA's Stennis Space Center in Mississippi.

Reusability: sea landing and the "Hungry Hippo" fairing

Neutron's first stage is designed to land propulsively at sea, downrange in the Atlantic Ocean, on a 400-foot platform called Return On Investment. The platform has station-keeping thrusters and autonomous ground systems, and it carries the stage back to Launch Complex 3 for reuse. Rocket Lab says that landing at sea also maximises the rocket's performance during flight.

The fairing works differently from most rockets. On Neutron the fairing halves, nicknamed "Hungry Hippo", remain permanently attached to the first stage. They open like a clamshell to release the second stage and then close again for reentry. This removes the need to recover fairing halves from the ocean. The fairing passed qualification testing in late 2025 and arrived at Wallops Island in January 2026.

Background on why reuse changes launch economics is in our article on reusable rockets and booster landings.

Launch site: Launch Complex 3 in Virginia

Rocket Lab opened Launch Complex 3 on 28 August 2025. It sits at Pad 0D of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island, Virginia, operated by the Virginia Spaceport Authority, and serves as Neutron's test, launch and landing facility. Rocket Lab also operates a Neutron Assembly and Integration Complex nearby.

Development status and timeline

  • March 2025: Neutron is on-ramped to the U.S. Space Force's National Security Space Launch Phase 3 Lane 1 programme. At that time Rocket Lab planned the first launch for the second half of 2025.
  • August 2025: Launch Complex 3 opens.
  • Late 2025: the Hungry Hippo fairing completes qualification.
  • 21 January 2026: a Stage 1 tank ruptures during a hydrostatic pressure qualification test. Rocket Lab reports no significant damage to the test structure or facilities and says the next tank is already in production.
  • 26 January 2026: the fairing arrives in Virginia.
  • 10 August 2026: in its Q2 2026 results Rocket Lab reports milestones in assembly, integration and testing of first-flight hardware and says Stage 1 tank production is aligned with delivering Neutron to the launch pad in Q4 2026.

Rocket Lab's own milestone list for Neutron ends with stage qualification, regulatory approval, vehicle integration, static fires of both stages and a wet dress rehearsal before launch. Rocket Lab had not announced a launch date by mid-October 2026.

Customers and backlog

  • Confidential customer, May 2026: five dedicated Neutron launches and three Electron launches, baselined for 2026 to 2029. Rocket Lab calls it the largest launch contract in its history and says pricing aligns with its average selling price.
  • U.S. Space Force SB-AMTI: a 397 million US dollar contract for multiple Flatellite spacecraft that will launch on Neutron.
  • U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory: a Rocket Cargo experiment under the REGAL effort that will be launched by Neutron and re-enter the atmosphere, scheduled no earlier than 2026.
  • NSSL Phase 3 Lane 1: after a successful flight, Neutron becomes eligible to compete for individual task orders.
  • NASA: Rocket Lab also lists a selection under NASA's VADR launch contract for Neutron.

In August 2026 Rocket Lab reported a total launch backlog of more than 90 launches across Electron, HASTE and Neutron.

Price and how to book

Rocket Lab does not publish a list price for Neutron. Launches are requested through the "Book my launch" form on the Rocket Lab website. For the most common alternative in this class, see our breakdown of Falcon 9 launch cost. If you want offers from several providers, you can send one request through the Carrier Space request form or start from the Rocket Lab provider page.

Our planning note: as with any new rocket, the first flights carry schedule risk. Customers with fixed deadlines should ask about rebooking terms and keep an alternative in view.

Frequently asked questions

When is the Rocket Lab Neutron launch date?

Rocket Lab has not announced a date. In August 2026 the company targeted delivery of Neutron to the launch pad in Q4 2026, with the first launch to follow.

What is Neutron's payload capacity?

13,000 kg to low Earth orbit and 1,500 kg to Mars or Venus, according to Rocket Lab.

Is Neutron reusable?

Yes, by design. The first stage is meant to land on an ocean platform and return to Virginia, and the captive Hungry Hippo fairing stays with the first stage. The second stage is not described as reusable.

How does Neutron compare with Falcon 9?

Both are medium-lift rockets with a reusable first stage. Neutron burns liquid oxygen and methane, lands on an ocean platform and keeps its fairing attached to the first stage. The key practical difference today is flight heritage: Neutron has not flown yet. Our Falcon 9 cost guide covers the SpaceX side, and the direct comparison on Carrier Space shows both vehicles side by side.

Where will Neutron launch from?

From Rocket Lab Launch Complex 3 at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island, Virginia.

Related reading

Sources

Cover image: The Mid-Atlantic region with the Delmarva Peninsula, home of NASA's Wallops Flight Facility, seen by NOAA's GOES-East satellite. Credit: NASA/NOAA, public domain.

Vehicles and providers in this article

ElectronFalcon 9NeutronRocket LabSpaceX