RKLB Stock Eyes Best Week In Over A Month: Rocket Lab Tests Key Neutron Hardware To Take On SpaceX

SpaceX’s reported decision to restrict new Falcon 9 commercial bookings beyond 2028 could create an opening for Neutron as Starship takes over future traffic.

• Rocket Lab completed pre-flight testing of Neutron’s reusable “Hungry Hippo” fairing and installed a 10-meter second-stage test stand in Virginia.
• The company will test Neutron’s thrust module directly on the launch mount before full-vehicle tests, a wet dress rehearsal, and a first-stage static fire.
• Neutron has secured five missions from a confidential customer, a dedicated Kepler launch and a role in Rocket Lab’s $397 million Space Force contract.

Shares of Rocket Lab (RKLB) are on track for their best weekly run in over a month as the company reports fresh progress on Neutron, the reusable medium-lift rocket it is developing to compete with SpaceX.

RKLB stock jumped over 6% on Thursday to end the session at 67.82, extending its gains so far this week to nearly 8%.

Rocket Lab Clears Key Neutron Hardware Milestones 

“Neutron operations are busy on Virginia’s Eastern Shore,” Rocket Lab said on X. The company’s reusable “Hungry Hippo” fairing — the protective nose structure that shields the rocket’s payload during launch — has completed pre-flight testing at its Assembly and Integration Complex. At nearby Launch Complex 3, Rocket Lab has installed a 10-meter test stand for Neutron’s second stage. 

The thrust module will be tested directly on the launch mount to verify rocket-to-mount interfaces before full-vehicle pad testing. Neutron must still complete integrated testing, a wet dress rehearsal, and a first-stage static fire.

Why Rocket Lab’s ‘Hungry Hippo’ Matters

Unlike conventional fairings that are discarded, Hungry Hippo’s halves remain attached to Neutron’s reusable first stage. They open to release the upper stage and payload, close again, and return with the booster.

“The answer is not throwing away the fairings where you’re trying to catch them—the best way is to never get rid of them in the first place,” CEO Peter Beck said when Neutron was unveiled in 2021. Rocket Lab began flight-like fairing tests in August. By then, it had also completed more than 400 Archimedes engine hot fires, a stage-separation campaign and an engine fit check on the first-stage thrust structure. The full engine set for Neutron’s inaugural mission is in production.

SpaceX’s Starship Bet Opens A Door For Neutron 

Neutron’s development comes as SpaceX redirects future commercial traffic from Falcon 9 toward Starship. SpaceX is reportedly turning away operators seeking new dedicated Falcon 9 launches beyond 2028 and is no longer taking future rideshare reservations. Multiple spacecraft companies were apparently told that Falcon 9 was booked into 2028 or 2029, with SpaceX’s Starlink missions consuming a substantial share of its launch capacity.

Falcon 9 is not being shut down immediately. SpaceX is expected to fulfill existing commercial, NASA, and Department of Defense missions. 

Neutron Bookings Grow, But Launch Risks Remain 

Rocket Lab CFO Adam Spice said back in 2023 that Neutron was being positioned to “compete directly with the Falcon 9,” with a targeted launch price of $50 million to $55 million and 10 to 20 flights per booster. Its 13-metric-ton low-Earth-orbit capacity makes it a smaller, potentially cheaper alternative to Falcon 9.

Demand is already building: a confidential customer has booked five Neutron missions through 2029, Kepler has reserved a dedicated launch no earlier than 2028, and the rocket is slated to carry satellites under a $397 million Space Force contract. Beck said at least half of Neutron’s capacity would be reserved for Rocket Lab’s own satellites and short-notice defense missions.

But execution is still a key risk. After slipping from 2024 to 2026 and suffering a first-stage tank rupture in January, Neutron is now expected to reach the pad in the fourth quarter, though a 2026 launch is no longer assured. “The window for an end-of-year launch is narrowing,” Beck said in August.

How Do Retail Traders Feel About RKLB?

On Stocktwits, retail sentiment for RKLB jumped to ‘bullish’ from ‘neutral’ levels a day ago amid ‘normal’ message volume.

One user said, “$RKLB Needs 2026/early 2027 launch and stick first try of Neutron then we re-rate to over 100”

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Another user said, “$RKLB ASTS is commo/phone company no way to launch; RKLB is end to end space products and launching for whopping 9 years now....going to be using big boy rockets soon now after 100 Electron launches”

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RKLB stock has risen 41% over the past year. 

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