Rocket Lab's Neutron first launch slips out

Word has been slipping out over the course of the last week that the first launch of Rocket Lab's Neutron "heavier lift" rocket is slipping out into 2026. To borrow a quote from Eric Berger at Ars Technica:

For anyone with the slightest understanding of the challenges involved in bringing a new rocket to the launch pad, as well as a calendar, the delay does not come as a surprise. Although Rocket Lab had been holding onto the possibility of launching Neutron this year publicly, it has been clear for months that a slip into 2026 was inevitable.

According to Beck, speaking during a third-quarter 2025 earnings call, the new timeline has the company bringing Neutron to Launch Complex 2 at Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia during the first quarter of next year. ...

The first launch will be after extensive testing at the launch complex, which makes "summer" sound a bit optimistic. The reason for the schedule slip is simple: they want to succeed. (CEO Peter) Beck said Rocket Lab would not be rushed by an arbitrary deadline. Beck says he has seen too many companies “rush to the pad with an unproven product, and we just refused to do that.” Their goal is to make it to orbit on the first Neutron launch. There will be no claiming success for getting off the ground or making it to MECO - Main Engine Cut Off - but not making orbit. Those are mission failures. Don't forget they're the company that made it to 50 successful missions faster than any other with their Electron rocket. The only drawback to Electron (and the reason for developing Neutron) is Electron's small payload. 

“This is a time when you find out on the ground what you got right, and what you got wrong, rather than finding out that during first launch,” he said. “Now at Rocket Lab, we have a proven process for delivering and developing complex space flight hardware, and I think that process speaks for itself with respect to our hardware, always looking beautiful, and, more importantly, always working beautifully. Now, our process is meticulous, but it works.”
...
“If we think about how many others have tried to develop a launcher, the results have been extremely poor,” he said. “Those who have failed to deliver are numerous. Basically, every new space company except Rocket Lab and SpaceX has failed to build an orbital rocket that is scaled to any kind of launch cadence and is reliable. Now this is the Rocket Lab process in action, and I’ve been resolute about sticking to this approach. Neutron will fly when we’re very confident it’s ready, and we’re not going to break the mold of the Rocket Lab magic.”

An image from the third-quarter 2025 earnings call referred to above. Image credit: Rocket Lab

While their stated goal is to complete all the testing and evaluation by the start of next summer, I can't help but think it's still a pretty large chunk of work to get through. I wouldn't be at all suprised to see the first test flight in August instead of June, for example. To borrow a closing quote from Eric, 

Given all of the difficulty involved in developing a large new rocket, and seeking a high chance of success on the first attempt, a successful launch any time next year would represent a great start to the Neutron era.