Rocket Lab is on the point of take a much bigger chunk out of the house launch market. The corporate just lately accomplished ultimate qualification checks on the fairing that may crown its latest launch automobile, the partially reusable Neutron, which is anticipated to fly for the primary time early subsequent 12 months.
The “Hungry Hippo”-style fairing opens and closes like a clamshell (or the jaws of the colourful sport items within the “Hungry Hungry Hippos” youngsters’s boardgame) and is a novel method to launch automobile reusability. Whereas Rocket Lab’s workhorse (however expendable) Electron rocket has shortly gained momentum within the small launch market, Neutron is constructed to compete with SpaceX’s heftier Falcon 9 — the one orbital launch automobile with a confirmed monitor document of reusability.
With qualification checks now full, Neutron’s fairing part has been shipped to the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport in Virginia, the place it is going to be mated to the rocket forward the automobile’s debut launch.
“A rocket like Neutron has by no means been constructed earlier than, and we’re doing it at a tempo and value level that’s going to convey the innovation and competitors wanted in in the present day’s trade,“ Rocket Lab Vice President for Neutron Shaun D’Mello mentioned in a Dec. 8 assertion.
The corporate hails Neutron as “the world’s largest carbon composite launch automobile,“ and mentioned the brand new rocket’s fairing underwent in depth checks earlier than it was lastly deemed prepared for flight.
Hungry Hippo is on the transfer 🦛 With qualification and acceptance testing full, Neutron’s fastened reusable fairing and higher module is on its method to LC-3. pic.twitter.com/SlRwCjMYkPDecember 9, 2025
Earlier than departing Rocket Lab’s California-based check facility, the fairing was uncovered to 275,000 kilos of exterior power to simulate dynamic pressures throughout launch, fast biking of the open and shut mechanisms to make sure faster-than-necessary operations, software program integration and cargo forces exceeding 125% design necessities.
As soon as the fairing is integrated with Neutron’s first stage, Rocket Lab will carry out a collection of prelaunch checks, together with a static hotfire of the 9 Archimedes engines that energy the reusable booster. Neutron will stand 141 ft (43 meters) tall with a 23-foot (7 m) diameter, and is anticipated to ship as much as 28,700 kilos (13,000 kilograms) of payload to low Earth orbit.
