Rocket Lab (RKLB) launched two missions in 48 hours for the third time
Almost exactly a year ago , Rocket Lab (RKLB) completed two launches in the span of 48 hours when it deployed five satellites to Low Earth Orbit for French Internet-of-Things (IoT) constellation operator Kinéis.
Rocket Lab founder and CEO Peter Beck called it a demonstration of "unprecedented capability in the small launch market" when the second mission was launched last November.
While the feat might have been unprecedented at the time, the California-based launch and space systems company has pulled it off again for the second time in 12 months.
On Tuesday, Rocket Lab launched a suborbital mission with its HASTE launch vehicle for the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and Missile Defense Agency (MDA).
The company said in a press release that the mission was aimed at "advancing national interests in safeguarding the homeland through the testing of advanced technologies for missile defense."
The mission deployed a government-provided primary payload developed by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory.
“HASTE is an important platform for accelerating hypersonic technology readiness for the nation, and we’re proud to be delivering this mission for DIU and MDA," Brian Rogers, vice president of global launch services for Rocket Lab, said in a statement.
And then on Thursday, Rocket Lab launched its second mission this week, sending up its Electron rocket from its Launch Complex 1 site in New Zealand. Tuesday's mission happened from its Launch Complex 2 in Virginia.
The mission on Thursday was called "Follow My Speed," which the company said involved the deployment a single satellite for a confidential commercial customer.
Rocket Lab said in a post on X that it has completed 18 successful launches this year, and is now up to 76 launches in total.
Neutron launch is delayed, but Wall Street doesn't mind
Bleeker Street Research published a short report back in February accusing Rocket Lab of overpromising on the development of its planned Neutron rocket.
Although the company had been targeting the middle of this year for the launch, Bleeker suggested that insiders were not expecting it to happen for another one-to-two years.
The short report oddly got new life and resurfaced in September, sending Rocket Lab's stock tumbling 11.7%.
Although the company didn't end up launching Neutron this year, Beck explained during an earnings call in August that it was being careful with the launch, even if it meant delaying it.
"We continue to push extremely hard for an end-of-year launch," Beck said. He admitted the schedule is a "green-light" one — meaning every milestone has to go right — but stressed that any slip would likely be a matter of months, not years.
"We’re not going to rush and take stupid risks," he added.
The company is now eyeing the first half of 2026 for the Neutron launch, which Stifel analyst Erik Rasmussen said was the right move.
"With management targeting to have Neutron at the pad in Q126, we see this as a more realistic goal, prioritizing mission success over speed," he wrote in a client note earlier this month.
Rasmussen maintained his Buy rating and raised the price target to $75 from $65.
Rocket Lab's stock fell 9.5% on Thursday, but it's up 55% for the year.