Family-level launch record combining canonical variants, historical missions, public cadence forecasts, and available payload performance specs.
Historical missions are grouped by actual launch year. Forecast cadence uses family-level launch-rate rows.
| Year | Historical missions | Forecast launches |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 0 | 1 |
| 2027 | 0 | 3 |
| 2028 | 0 | 5 |
| 2029 | 0 | 6 |
| 2030 | 0 | 8 |
| 2031 | 0 | 8 |
| 2032 | 0 | 10 |
| 2033 | 0 | 10 |
| 2034 | 0 | 10 |
| 2035 | 0 | 12 |
| 2036 | 0 | 12 |
| 2037 | 0 | 12 |
| 2038 | 0 | 12 |
| 2039 | 0 | 12 |
| 2040 | 0 | 12 |
| 2041 | 0 | 12 |
Payload capacity by variant and target orbit when structured capacity rows are available.
| Variant | Orbit | Capacity | Altitude | Inclination | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Neutron | LEO | 15,000 kg | Unknown | Unknown | Rocket Lab Reusable Rockets |
Neutron | LEO | 13,000 kg | Unknown | Unknown | Rocket Lab Neutron |
Latest launched missions using variants in this family.
| Mission | Variant | Launch |
|---|---|---|
No recent missionsNo launched missions are linked to variants in this family. | ||
Upcoming mission rows with announced launch timing.
| Mission | Variant | Announced |
|---|---|---|
No forecasted missionsNo upcoming announced mission rows are linked to this vehicle family. | ||
Canonical variants rolled up into this launch vehicle family.
| Variant | Stages | Missions | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
Neutron | Not stated | 0 | Development |
1 launch location represented.
| Year | Location | Launches | Confidence | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Wallops Flight Facility / MARS | Launch Complex 3 | 1 | 35% | Conservative startup-ramp annual family throughput default: Neutron is targeted for debut in late 2026; use early operational ramp, not mature medium-lift cade... |
| 2027 | Wallops Flight Facility / MARS | Launch Complex 3 | 3 | 35% | Conservative startup-ramp annual family throughput default: Neutron cadence below previous 16/year upper curve until regular operations are demonstrated. |
| 2028 | Wallops Flight Facility / MARS | Launch Complex 3 | 5 | 35% | Conservative startup-ramp annual family throughput default: Neutron cadence below previous 16/year upper curve until regular operations are demonstrated. |
| 2029 | Wallops Flight Facility / MARS | Launch Complex 3 | 6 | 30% | Conservative startup-ramp annual family throughput default: Neutron cadence below previous 16/year upper curve until regular operations are demonstrated. |
| 2030 | Wallops Flight Facility / MARS | Launch Complex 3 | 8 | 30% | Conservative startup-ramp annual family throughput default: Neutron cadence below previous 16/year upper curve until regular operations are demonstrated. |
| 2031 | Wallops Flight Facility / MARS | Launch Complex 3 | 8 | 30% | Conservative startup-ramp annual family throughput default: Neutron cadence below previous 16/year upper curve until regular operations are demonstrated. |
| 2032 | Wallops Flight Facility / MARS | Launch Complex 3 | 10 | 25% | Conservative startup-ramp annual family throughput default: Neutron cadence below previous 16/year upper curve until regular operations are demonstrated. |
| 2033 | Wallops Flight Facility / MARS | Launch Complex 3 | 10 | 25% | Conservative startup-ramp annual family throughput default: Neutron cadence below previous 16/year upper curve until regular operations are demonstrated. |
| 2034 | Wallops Flight Facility / MARS | Launch Complex 3 | 10 | 25% | Conservative startup-ramp annual family throughput default: Neutron cadence below previous 16/year upper curve until regular operations are demonstrated. |
| 2035 | Wallops Flight Facility / MARS | Launch Complex 3 | 12 | 25% | Conservative startup-ramp annual family throughput default: Neutron cadence below previous 16/year upper curve until regular operations are demonstrated. |
| 2036 | Wallops Flight Facility / MARS | Launch Complex 3 | 12 | 25% | Conservative startup-ramp annual family throughput default: Neutron cadence below previous 16/year upper curve until regular operations are demonstrated. |
| 2037 | Wallops Flight Facility / MARS | Launch Complex 3 | 12 | 25% | Conservative startup-ramp annual family throughput default: Neutron cadence below previous 16/year upper curve until regular operations are demonstrated. |
| 2038 | Wallops Flight Facility / MARS | Launch Complex 3 | 12 | 25% | Conservative startup-ramp annual family throughput default: Neutron cadence below previous 16/year upper curve until regular operations are demonstrated. |
| 2039 | Wallops Flight Facility / MARS | Launch Complex 3 | 12 | 25% | Conservative startup-ramp annual family throughput default: Neutron cadence below previous 16/year upper curve until regular operations are demonstrated. |
| 2040 | Wallops Flight Facility / MARS | Launch Complex 3 | 12 | 25% | Conservative startup-ramp annual family throughput default: Neutron cadence below previous 16/year upper curve until regular operations are demonstrated. |
| 2041 | Wallops Flight Facility / MARS | Launch Complex 3 | 12 | 25% | Conservative startup-ramp annual family throughput default: Neutron cadence below previous 16/year upper curve until regular operations are demonstrated. Site-... |
Conservative startup-ramp annual family throughput default: Neutron is targeted for debut in late 2026; use early operational ramp, not mature medium-lift cadence.
Conservative startup-ramp annual family throughput default: Neutron cadence below previous 16/year upper curve until regular operations are demonstrated.
Conservative startup-ramp annual family throughput default: Neutron cadence below previous 16/year upper curve until regular operations are demonstrated.
Conservative startup-ramp annual family throughput default: Neutron cadence below previous 16/year upper curve until regular operations are demonstrated.
Conservative startup-ramp annual family throughput default: Neutron cadence below previous 16/year upper curve until regular operations are demonstrated.
Conservative startup-ramp annual family throughput default: Neutron cadence below previous 16/year upper curve until regular operations are demonstrated.
Conservative startup-ramp annual family throughput default: Neutron cadence below previous 16/year upper curve until regular operations are demonstrated.
Conservative startup-ramp annual family throughput default: Neutron cadence below previous 16/year upper curve until regular operations are demonstrated.
Conservative startup-ramp annual family throughput default: Neutron cadence below previous 16/year upper curve until regular operations are demonstrated.
Conservative startup-ramp annual family throughput default: Neutron cadence below previous 16/year upper curve until regular operations are demonstrated.
Conservative startup-ramp annual family throughput default: Neutron cadence below previous 16/year upper curve until regular operations are demonstrated.
Conservative startup-ramp annual family throughput default: Neutron cadence below previous 16/year upper curve until regular operations are demonstrated.
Neutron |
| LEO |
| 8,000 kg |
| Unknown |
| Unknown |
| Rocket Lab Reusable Rockets |
Neutron | escape | 1,500 kg | Unknown | Unknown | Rocket Lab Neutron Payload User Guide |
The U.S. Space Force is contributing $24,000,000 to help develop Neutron’s upper stage.
Launching Neutron from Wallops will allow the vehicle to compete for NSSL missions to sun-synchronous orbits and mid-inclination orbits typically launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base.
Rocket Lab’s Neutron is a medium-size reusable launch vehicle designed with NSSL in mind.
Rocket Lab’s Neutron is designed to lift 8,000 kg to low Earth orbit with a recoverable first stage or up to 15,000 kg to low Earth orbit with an expendable first stage.
Virginia will be the home of Rocket Lab’s Neutron launch vehicle, which the company plans to build, test, launch, and land at Wallops Flight Facility in the future.
Rocket Lab’s Neutron launch vehicle will be built, tested, launched, and landed within the Wallops Flight Facility in the future.
Rocket Lab plans for its larger Neutron launch vehicle to be built, tested, launched, and landed at Wallops Flight Facility.
Rocket Lab designs and manufactures the Electron small orbital launch vehicle and the Photon satellite platform and is developing the Neutron launch vehicle.
Rocket Lab plans to begin launching its Electron small rocket from Wallops Flight Facility and plans to launch Neutron from the same site.
Rocket Lab would need to develop a heavier Neutron variant to cover all NSSL payload requirements, which the company estimates would require roughly $1,000,000,000 in investment.
Rocket Lab is developing the medium-lift reusable rocket Neutron on an aggressive schedule for a 2024 debut.
Neutron is designed to lift 8,000 kg to low Earth orbit while recovering the first stage.
The U.S. Department of Defense invested more than $24,000,000 in the development of Neutron’s upper stage.
Rocket Lab is building a factory just outside the Wallops gates to produce its Neutron reusable vehicle.
Rocket Lab plans to launch its Neutron reusable vehicle from a new pad at Wallops as soon as 2024.
Rocket Lab plans to use Wallops for its Neutron reusable launch vehicle and to produce Neutron at a factory just outside the Wallops gates.
Neutron is Rocket Lab’s reusable rocket in development designed to provide a cost-effective, reliable, and responsive launch service for building mega-constellations and delivering large spacecraft to low-Earth orbit, geostationary orbit, and interplanetary destinations.
The Archimedes Test Complex includes use and development of existing infrastructure of the A-3 Test Stand to develop and test Neutron’s Archimedes engines.
Neutron is Rocket Lab’s reusable rocket in development designed to help build mega-constellations and deliver large spacecraft to low-Earth orbit, geostationary orbit, and interplanetary destinations.
The Archimedes Test Complex includes use and development of existing infrastructure of the A-3 Test Stand to develop and test Neutron’s Archimedes engines.