GoKawiilRocket Lab pushes Neutron rocket's debut flight to 2027 over dome defect
Rocket Lab said Wednesday its Neutron rocket won't launch until 2027, blaming a manufacturing defect found in the carbon composite propellant tank domes of the first stage. CEO Peter Beck said engineers discovered voids, or air pockets, between layers of carbon fiber in the domes, forcing a pause in production to investigate. The delay confirms what industry observers had already suspected after Rocket Lab's August update left little room for a 2026 launch.