RKLB Stock’s Slide Hits Day 7: Cathie Wood’s ARK Buys The Dip As Rocket Lab Touts Mars Record Amid Neutron Delay

Rocket Lab highlighted its hardware’s role in Perseverance’s record-setting 28.1-mile journey on Mars.

• Cathie Wood’s ARK bought 168,633 RKLB shares across three ETFs, worth about $9.32 million at Thursday’s close.
• Its acquired businesses supplied solar panels for the journey to Mars and camera mechanisms and robotics for surface exploration.
• Neutron’s debut shifted to 2027 after a manufacturing issue, keeping launch execution in investors’ focus.

Shares of Rocket Lab (RKLB) edged 0.2% lower overnight late Thursday even as Cathie Wood’s ARK Investment Management bought the dip and the company highlighted its hardware’s role in NASA’s record-breaking Mars rover mission, with investors still focused on Neutron’s delayed debut.

RKLB stock tumbled nearly 7% on Thursday to 55.25, logging its seventh straight session of losses. Shares are also nearing one-year lows. 

Cathie Wood’s ARK Buys the Dip

ARK’s latest disclosures showed it bought 168,633 Rocket Lab shares Thursday, worth about $9.32 million at the closing price. The ARK Innovation ETF (ARKK) led the purchases with 120,655 shares. The ARK Autonomous Technology & Robotics ETF (ARKQ) added 34,387 shares, while the ARK Space Exploration & Innovation ETF (ARKX) bought 13,591 shares. The combined purchases are worth about $9.32 million based on RKLB’s last close

The buying follows last month's purchases, when ARK acquired 705,102 Rocket Lab shares over two days across the same three funds, worth about $44.4 million at the time. A separate ARKX purchase added another 2,341 shares, valued at about $154,000.

Rocket Lab Highlights Hardware Behind NASA’s Mars Record

Rocket Lab highlighted its hardware’s role in NASA’s Perseverance mission after the rover broke the record for the farthest distance driven on another world. “28.1 miles on Mars, powered by Rocket Lab hardware,” the company said on X.

Perseverance reached 28.10 miles on Oct.11, surpassing Opportunity’s 28.06-mile record in five and a half years, marking a distance its predecessor took almost 15 years to cover. SolAero solar panels powered the spacecraft carrying Perseverance to Mars. On the surface, Motiv Space Systems’ camera mechanisms help scientists zoom in on targets, while its seven-foot robotic arm places instruments against rocks with precision finer than a millimeter.

Rocket Lab acquired SolAero in 2022 and Motiv in May, renaming the latter Rocket Lab Robotics. Both developed their mission hardware before the acquisitions, which broadened Rocket Lab’s business beyond launches.

NASA credited AutoNav, the rover’s self-driving system, with much of the progress, as it identifies hazards and plans routes while moving. “Every mile is another step in the search for signs of ancient life,” Rocket Lab said.

Meanwhile, Rocket Lab also welcomed California Governor Gavin Newsom to its Long Beach production complex. Newsom praised the company’s operations, saying California was “engineering, manufacturing, and launching” the future of science and space exploration.

Neutron Delay Keeps Execution in Focus

However, investors' immediate concern is Neutron, the reusable medium-lift rocket intended to expand Rocket Lab’s access to larger launch missions. Rocket Lab said late Wednesday that Neutron’s inaugural flight is now expected in 2027, moving beyond its previous fourth-quarter 2026 target.

The development update identified voids, or air pockets, in a newly manufactured carbon-composite forward propellant dome for the rocket’s first stage.

The company said engineers replicated the issue, changed the manufacturing process, and validated the changes on an aft dome. The company is manufacturing a replacement forward dome, but it still needs further assembly and testing before it can provide a firmer launch date.

How Do Retail Traders Feel About RKLB?

On Stocktwits, retail sentiment for RKLB slipped to ‘extremely bearish’ from ‘bearish’ levels a day ago amid ‘high’ message volume.

One user shared the Perseverance post with the caption, “Powered by $RKLB.” Another called the milestone “SOO cool” and said they had seen the news without realizing Rocket Lab equipment was involved.

On Neutron, one user defended the company, saying, “Its a delay. Not cancel.” Others remained skeptical. One user questioned Rocket Lab’s valuation relative to revenue and profitability, while another argued the stock was “not priced for Neutron delays.”

RKLB stock has declined 21% year-to-date.

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