Rocket Lab Advances Neutron Dome Work as First Launch Moves to 2027
Photo: TokenPost
Rocket Lab moved Neutron’s first launch to 2027 after defects surfaced in a composite tank dome, with the forward section still awaiting production and inspection. The issue followed a January pressure test that ruptured an earlier version of the first-stage tank. Production later shifted to automated fiber placement. A redesign removed joints and increased thickness in selected sections, where voids appeared in the forward dome. Rocket Lab reproduced the problem in tests and added manufacturing measures to address it. CEO Peter Beck said an aft dome made with the revised process had the highest composite quality the company had achieved.
Source: TokenPost
