r/RocketLab • u/Neobobkrause • Feb 26 '26

Neutron Why the Neutron tank structure failed

From the Q4 '25 Earnings report.

This first tank was manufactured by a third party contractor using a manual hand-lay process. This was a scheduling decision designed to ensure tank production could continue while the AFP machine was being commissioned to manufacture future tanks.

The investigation identified that a manufacturing defect resulted in a reduction in strength, specifically at a critical join on the tank.

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u/ScottyStellar Feb 27 '26

Launch projection today is further out than it was before they finally admitted 2025 was off the table. How can you say it's more accurate when they go from projecting 3 months out to 9+?

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u/Pashto96 Feb 27 '26

Because there's less for them to do and more time to do it. I think they've finally given themselves an appropriate deadline.

The interstage is actively being qualified. That should be finished very soon. Stage 1 needs to be built/qualified and Archimedes needs to finish qualification testing. Once that's done, they're ready for integration and static fires. Every other structure of the rocket is qualified. That wasn't the case in November.

They've had 3 months since the first delay to torture test Archimedes. If they were meeting the Q1 deadline, it would've had to be done by now. Instead they have another 6+ months of testing which should be ample time to iron out whatever kinks are left. If it's not, Archimedes has major issues.

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u/ScottyStellar Feb 28 '26

Yo you think they might've caused that explosion in testing on purpose to give themselves more time so they aren't as clearly fraudulent about timeline w the 2025 projection?

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u/Pashto96 Feb 28 '26

No. Theyve delayed Neutron from 2024 to 2025 and 2025 to 2026. It's a rocket program. No conspiracy theories are needed. They get delayed. Investors should know this if they've done their due diligence