Rocket Lab’s Neutron rocket has 16 missions on its manifest before its first flight, after eight third-quarter contracts worth more than $515 million; the next available launch opportunities are in the 2030s.
The contracts were signed during the three months ended Sept. 30, the company said. Rocket Lab said several missions were sold at a $70 million base launch price, compared with $55 million previously, citing demand and tighter launch availability. It did not give a price for each mission.
Rocket Lab’s list includes three ICEYE launches beginning in late 2028, two Muon Space missions scheduled for 2029 and 2030, and one Starcloud launch in 2029. The other bookings are for Kepler Communications and the United States Space Force (USSF), under its Space-Based Airborne Moving Target Indicator (SB-AMTI) program. Kepler separately confirmed its selection of Neutron for a mission scheduled no earlier than 2028 and said a dedicated launch would give it more flexibility as it expands its constellation.
Rocket Lab valued the broader SB-AMTI contract at $397 million in an August announcement. The award covers developing, launching and operating Flatellite spacecraft and includes an option for additional spacecraft. Rocket Lab has not disclosed the launch-only value or how that broader award relates to the $515 million total.
The company’s quarterly filing reported $267.8 million in revenue for the three months ended Sept. 30, including $53.1 million from launch services. It did not specify how much, if any, of the new contract value was recognized in Q3.
Rocket Lab’s Nov. 9 results put Neutron’s first launch no earlier than 2027, a schedule EconoTimes previously covered in its report on the 2027 first-flight target. Rocket Lab lists Neutron’s maximum payload capacity to low Earth orbit at 13,000 kilograms.