Rocket Lab marks historic year with record launches and major contracts as it prepares for Neutron rocket debut

Rocket Lab announced a landmark year in 2025, achieving a record 21 successful launches of its Electron rocket, alongside securing significant new contracts within the aerospace sector. Among these contracts, a notable deal with the Space Development Agency (SDA) stands out, totaling up to $816 million for developing 18 missile-warning satellites, marking Rocket Lab’s largest contract to date.

As Rocket Lab transitions into 2026, it maintains its commitment to Electron missions while also gearing up for the anticipated debut of its next-generation rocket, Neutron, which is scheduled for launch no earlier than mid-2026. Neutron is designed as a medium-lift vehicle that will operate from a new launch location at Wallops Island, where an established Electron launch facility already exists. Additionally, Rocket Lab is positioning itself to compete for upcoming NASA missions to Mars, including the planned Mars Telecommunications Orbiter.

The Electron rocket stood out in 2025 as one of the most frequently launched vehicles in the industry, completing its missions from three locations: Launch Complex 1A and 1B in New Zealand and Launch Complex 2 at Wallops in Virginia. Impressively, all of Electron’s 21 launches throughout the year were executed without failures. The rocket’s journey began with its first mission of the year on February 8 and culminated on December 21. Since its introduction in 2017, Electron has accomplished a total of 79 missions, with only four failures recorded.

Neutron promises to surpass Electron in both scale and capability at 43 meters tall and seven meters wide. It will operate using liquid methane and liquid oxygen propellants and will feature partial reusability, with plans for the first stage to land on Rocket Lab’s droneship, Return on Investment. The first stage will be powered by nine Archimedes engines, complemented by a single vacuum-optimized engine for the second stage. To enhance reusability, Rocket Lab has innovated a “Hungry Hippo” fairing design that allows for the simultaneous recovery of both the fairing and the first stage.

With Neutron’s development ramping up after significant progress in 2025, the rocket is poised to carry more substantial payloads—up to 13,000 kg to low Earth orbit and 1,500 kg for missions to Mars or Venus. This design aims to facilitate mega-constellation deployments and support deeper space explorations.

Construction of Neutron’s dedicated launch facility at Wallops, identified as Launch Complex 3, was completed in August 2025. The site is outfitted with advanced features, including a robust launch mount, a substantial water tower, and a propellant farm, alongside testing facilities for the second stage. Following its arrival at Wallops in early 2026, the Neutron vehicle will undergo static fire tests to ensure readiness for its inaugural flight.

Beyond its launch initiatives, Rocket Lab operates as a comprehensive aerospace provider, producing various components in-house, including satellites. In November, the company successfully completed its first interplanetary mission by launching NASA’s ESCAPADE satellites aboard a Blue Origin rocket. Looking ahead, Rocket Lab aims to contribute to NASA’s Mars Sample Return mission and has proposed its capabilities for the Mars Telecommunications Orbiter, responding to a call for communications satellite development for Mars missions.

In a noteworthy contract announcement on December 19, 2025, Rocket Lab highlighted its collaboration with the SDA, which has cumulatively awarded the company over $1.3 billion for satellite development. The integration of Rocket Lab’s Lightning satellite platform and sensors, previously employed in the ESCAPADE mission, will bolster the capabilities of the new missile-warning satellite constellation, critical to the nation’s security interests. Rocket Lab anticipates that the launch of Neutron will further enhance its competitiveness for future national security contracts.