Rocket Lab's Neutron Rocket Faces Major Testing Setback
Neutron rocket faces delay after first-stage fuel tank ruptures during pressure testing, pushing launch timeline deeper into 2026.
Matilda
Rocket Lab's Neutron Rocket Faces Major Testing Setback
Neutron Rocket Setback: What Happened During the Critical Test? Rocket Lab’s much-anticipated Neutron rocket has hit a major technical hurdle just months before its planned debut. During a recent hydrostatic pressure test—a standard but crucial validation step for aerospace hardware—one of the vehicle’s first-stage fuel tanks catastrophically ruptured. The failure occurred at Rocket Lab’s testing facility and has forced the company to build a replacement tank, further delaying the already-postponed maiden flight now expected sometime in late 2026. Credit: Rocket Lab For those tracking the next generation of medium-lift launch vehicles, this news raises urgent questions: How serious is the setback? Will it affect Neutron’s competitive positioning against rivals like SpaceX’s Falcon 9 or Relativity Space’s Terran R? And most importantly—what does this mean for customers banking on Neutron for future satellite deployments? Inside the Failed Hydrostatic Pressure Test Hydrostatic testing is a f…
