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 |
Rocket Lab will build a factory for Neutron as close as possible to the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport Pad 0-A to minimize transportation issues such as bridge clearances.
The Neutron vehicle will leverage infrastructure Rocket Lab built at Launch Complex 2 at Wallops Island that was used for the Electron rocket.
Rocket Lab projects that Neutron will be able to lift more than 90% of all satellites forecast to launch through 2029.
Rocket Lab has SPAC-fueled plans dated 2021-03-01 to go public and intends to use proceeds to develop a larger launch vehicle called Neutron.
The 4U CubeRover will house neutron-detecting technology developed by Radiation Detection Technologies and will test the detector at a lunar surface analogue site.