Rocket Lab Neutron Tank Ruptures in Test, CEO Calls It Normal

Rocket Lab's Neutron rocket suffered a rupture in its main stage fuel tank during a pressure test on January 21 at a facility in Wallops, Virginia. The company pushed the tank to its limits in a hydrostatic pressure trial to check its strength. CEO Peter Beck said this kind of failure is normal and expected in rocket development.

Background

Rocket Lab builds small rockets called Electron that have flown many times. Now the company wants to move up with Neutron, a bigger rocket that stands 141 feet tall. It is more than twice the height of Electron. Neutron aims to carry up to 28,700 pounds to low Earth orbit. The first stage will use nine Archimedes engines that run on methane and liquid oxygen. Those engines produce 1.5 million pounds of thrust at liftoff.

The company started work on Neutron to compete in the market for medium-lift rockets. It plans to make the first stage reusable. That means the stage would land on an ocean barge after launch, much like some other rockets do. Rocket Lab had hoped to fly Neutron by the end of 2025. But in November 2025, during an earnings call, Beck pushed the debut to 2026. He said more testing was needed on the engines and other parts.

Engine tests happen at NASA's Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. Teams there run the Archimedes engines 20 hours a day, seven days a week. Beck noted that the engine design is stable now. Most parts for the first flight's engines are built or in production. The company has done full mission duration hot fires on the engines.

Neutron will launch from Launch Complex 3 at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport in Virginia. Rocket Lab wants to move the rocket there in the first quarter of 2026, with a flight soon after.

Key Details

The test on January 21 was a hydrostatic pressure trial. Workers filled the tank with water and pumped it to high pressure. The goal was to see how much the structure could take before failing. This proves the tank has enough safety margin for real flights. The tank buckled and ruptured. Rocket Lab said the failure happened earlier than planned, but it still gave useful data.

No one was hurt. The test site and nearby buildings saw no serious damage. The failed tank cannot be used again. Rocket Lab already has another stage one tank in production. Engineers are studying the data to see what caused the rupture and how it affects the schedule.

Engine Development Progress

Archimedes engines face tough conditions. They must work during ascent to space and descent back to Earth. Propellant heats up and pressures change on the way down. Rocket Lab keeps improving the engines based on test results. The production line for engines is ready to make more.

Beck has said the engines meet performance goals. Test stands at Stennis run non-stop to pack years of work into months. This speeds up qualification.

"We intentionally test structures to their limits to validate structural integrity and safety margins to ensure the strong requirements for a successful launch can be comfortably met." – Rocket Lab statement

The company plans to give a timeline update during its fourth quarter 2025 earnings call in February 2026.

What This Means

Rocket tests like this one are common. Companies push parts past their normal limits to make sure they hold up in flight. A rupture in testing helps find weak spots early. It avoids bigger problems during an actual launch. For Neutron, this means a pause to build and test a new tank. The debut flight, once eyed for early 2026, may slip to later in the year, perhaps March or April.

Rocket Lab runs its Electron rocket often. That brings in steady money. Neutron will open doors to bigger jobs, like satellite groups or government missions. Reusability cuts costs over time. If Neutron works as planned, it could grab market share from larger players.

The space industry sees many tests end in failure. Each one teaches lessons. Rocket Lab stays on track with other work. It keeps launching Electron and testing engines hard. Investors watch for the next earnings call. There, Beck will share how this test changes plans. The company has backup tanks and test sites ready. Development moves forward without big halts.

Wallops serves as a key test spot. It lets teams work overnight and handle big pressures safely. The low-energy release in water tests keeps damage small. Rocket Lab's team now reviews every detail from sensors and cameras. This data shapes the next tank's design.

Neutron's size and goals make it a big step for Rocket Lab. Success here builds the company's future. Failures like this one are steps on the path. The team presses on with production and more tests. A first flight in 2026 remains the goal, adjusted as needed by new findings.