Rocket Lab shipped Neutron hardware toward its Virginia launch site.
The second stage and thrust module are headed to Wallops for launch-pad systems testing.
Electron recently completed its 98th mission, deploying three HawkEye 360 satellites on Rocket Lab’s 19th launch of 2026.
Rocket Lab (RKLB) shares rose 0.3% overnight heading into Tuesday after the company shipped Neutron’s second-stage hardware to its Virginia launch site, while Cantor Fitzgerald forecast a Q2 2027 debut and reiterated a price target implying shares could more than double.
RKLB stock jumped 2% to $53.82 on Monday, logging its second straight session of gains.
Rocket Lab said on X that Neutron’s second stage — the upper section that will deliver payloads into orbit — and its thrust module had left the factory aboard a barge bound for Launch Complex 3 at Wallops Island in Virginia.
“Earlier today we sent Neutron’s Stage 2 and Thrust Module out of the Neutron Factory and onto a barge for transport through Chesapeake Bay to Wallops Island in Virginia,” the company said.
Once it arrives, the thrust module will be placed directly onto the launch mount, the structure that supports the rocket at the pad. Engineers will test its fluid-handling systems and check the connections between the module and the mount.
These checks are important for Neutron’s design. Instead of using a traditional strongback structure to help support the rocket, Neutron’s only physical connection to the pad runs through its thrust module. Testing that connection now lets engineers check how the hardware and ground systems work together before the full rocket is assembled.
The shipment follows an earlier update showing the second-stage tank assembly being turned from vertical to horizontal in preparation for the journey.
Cantor Eyes 127% Upside For RKLB Stock
Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated its ‘Overweight’ rating and $122 price target following Rocket Lab’s latest Electron launch. The target implies a 127% upside from Monday’s close. The brokerage expects Neutron’s first launch in the second quarter of 2027.
Rocket Lab has given a broader 2027 outlook and plans to announce a more precise date after completing further manufacturing and testing milestones. Neutron is key to Rocket Lab’s expansion into larger commercial satellite deployments, government missions and national-security launches, extending its reach beyond Electron’s small-launch business.
For Neutron, Rocket Lab is preparing for more than the first launch. Beck said the company is building factories, launch infrastructure and additional rockets at the same time, allowing it to increase production and launch more frequently once development is complete. He also pointed to customers looking for long-term launch partnerships.
Meanwhile, its smaller Electron rocket is nearing its 100th flight. Electron completed its 98th mission last week, launching three HawkEye 360 satellites from New Zealand into orbit about 520 kilometers above Earth. It was Rocket Lab’s 19th launch of 2026 and its third dedicated mission for HawkEye 360.
What Neutron Must Complete Before Its First Flight
Rocket Lab recently pushed Neutron’s first flight into 2027 after finding a manufacturing problem in its first-stage fuel tanks. CEO Peter Beck said inspections uncovered tiny air pockets between carbon-fiber layers in a tank dome—the rounded section that closes off the tank.
Engineers recreated the problem in testing and changed the manufacturing process to prevent it. Beck said the updated process had produced the company’s highest-quality tank dome yet, giving the team confidence to build a replacement for the affected section.
“We’re balancing speed to first launch with bringing a reliable high cadence rocket to market for the long term, which means making deliberate choices about timelines to support reliability going long into the future,” Beck said.
Rocket Lab must now finish the replacement dome, harden the composite material and inspect it for defects. Engineers will then assemble the first stage and test whether it can withstand pressure and the extremely low temperatures involved in handling rocket propellants.
Beck said dome production and inspection were expected to finish before Q1 2027, with first-stage assembly and testing completed during that quarter if progress goes to plan. “In the meantime I’d rather show you real-time progress than give you a date that I might have to walk back,” he said.
How Do Retail Traders Feel About RKLB?
On Stocktwits, retail sentiment for RKLB slipped to ‘bearish’ from ‘bullish’ levels a week ago amid a 285% surge in 24-hour message volumes.
RKLB sentiment and message volume as of October 27 | Source: Stocktwits
One user said, “$RKLB not surprised if this goes $80 by earnings, $100 by EOY and $200 by Q12027 when Neutron launches”
Another user responded, “I think $80-90 is more than reasonable as long as they crush earnings and give a reasonable update”
RKLB stock has declined 23% year-to-date.
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Deepti Sri has no position in any of the stocks mentioned in this article. StockTwits’ news team content is for informational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. For more, see our editorial policy. This article was originally published on StockTwits.
