Rocket Lab has delayed the inaugural flight of its medium-lift Neutron rocket to 2027. The postponement follows the discovery of manufacturing defects in the carbon composite dome sections of the first-stage propellant tanks.
CEO Peter Beck stated that engineers identified voids between the carbon fiber layers during inspections. These issues emerged after the company implemented design changes to strengthen the structure following a tank rupture during a hydrostatic pressure test in January.
The company has since modified its manufacturing process and successfully verified an aft propellant dome. Rocket Lab is now producing a new forward dome, a process that, combined with the investigation, pushed the launch schedule into next year.
The Neutron rocket, which measures 7 meters in diameter, is significantly larger than the company's Electron vehicle. The development program, announced in 2021 with an initial target of 2024, has now seen its timeline double.
Final qualification for the first stage and the methane-fueled Archimedes engines remains pending. Once these are complete, the company will begin a launch campaign at Wallops Island, Virginia, involving integrated testing and static fires.
