Neutron First Flight May Slip to 2027 Amid Pad-Test Push

Rocket Lab warned its Neutron’s first flight could slip to 2027 despite ongoing progress, as pad testing and a first-stage static-fire remain the biggest risks before launch. The company still targets delivering Neutron to the pad in Q4 2026, but the actual launch window is tightening as risk trades are made to enable high-cadence production. A new contract to launch Kepler satellites no earlier than 2028 underscores strong demand, even as the program carries a history of delays since its 2021 reveal (initial 2024 target, later pushed to 2025 and 2026). The plan is a gradual ramp-up (one, three, five cadence) driven by Neutron’s reusability and reliability.