Latest news with #Neutron
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Rocket Lab launches private Earth-observing satellite toward orbit
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Rocket Lab launched an Earth-observing satellite for the company BlackSky toward orbit tonight (June 2). An Electron rocket lifted off from Rocket Lab's New Zealand site today at 7:57 p.m. EDT (0057 GMT or 11:57 a.m. local New Zealand time on June 3), carrying a "Gen-3" satellite for Virginia-based BlackSky toward low Earth orbit (LEO). If all goes to plan, the mission, which Rocket Lab calls "Full Stream Ahead," will deliver the spacecraft to a circular orbit 292 miles (470 kilometers) above Earth. Once there, the spacecraft "will join the remainder of the company's constellation delivering very high-resolution imagery and AI-enabled analytics for daily intelligence operations," Rocket Lab wrote in a mission description. "'Full Stream Ahead' is the second in a series of four Electron launches booked by BlackSky to deploy its Gen-3 satellites to orbit this year, and the 10th overall [Electron] launch for the company — making Electron the most prolific launcher for their constellation to date," Rocket Lab added. Related stories: — Rocket Lab launches new NASA solar sail tech to orbit (video, photos) — Rocket Lab launches sharp-eyed Earth-observation satellite to orbit (video) — Rocket Lab launches 5 'Internet of Things' satellites to orbit (video) Tonight's launch was the seventh of 2025 and the 65th overall flight for the 59-foot-tall (18 meters) Electron, which gives small satellites dedicated rides to orbit. Rocket Lab also flies a suborbital variant of Electron known as HASTE, which serves as a testbed for hypersonic technologies. The company is also developing a larger, more powerful orbital rocket called Neutron, which is designed to be partially reusable. Neutron is expected to debut later this year. Editor's note: This story was updated at 8:10 p.m. ET on June 2 with news that Electron had lifted off.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
With plans to launch from Florida, SpaceX's Starship makes it to space, but misses goals
After major setbacks during the past two Starship flights, SpaceX was counting on success this time as it launched the massive Starship on its ninth test flight from Texas — however the May 27 launch saw yet another dramatic ending. From launch to loss of the ship, high-quality footage was sent to the live coverage via Starlink. The world watched as once again things did not go as hoped for the massive launch system, which will eventually launch from Florida. The May 27 flight was aimed at testing much more than what transpired. After the past two test flights of the giant rocket ended in the loss of the ship under 10 minutes into the flight, most space observers were hoping for more of a significant comeback — or at least to see most of the flight goals met. While the ship coasted this time for close to 40 minutes and made it to the planned area of reentry, it ended up in a spin which caused it to break apart over the Indian Ocean. SpaceX noted on the live coverage of the launch that no one was in danger, and the air spaces were cleared. 'Some may focus on the lows, but behind the efforts of Starship — and other programs like New Glenn, Neutron, Vulcan, Terran, Stoke, etc — is a massive space economy taking shape: tens of thousands of jobs, billions in private investment, all aimed at truly opening the last great frontier," Jared Isaacman, President Trump's nominee to be the next NASA administrator, said on X. "When these capabilities arrive, they will spearhead a new era of exploration and discovery —and the lows will become a chapter in a much longer story.' SpaceX also put on a positive spin. "With a test like this, success comes from what we learn, and today's test will help us improve Starship's reliability as SpaceX seeks to make life multiplanetary," the company wrote on X. Earlier, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk had announced an update on the company's Mars ambitions would come over X on May 27 after the launch, yet Musk and SpaceX remained silent after the flight. SpaceX is counting on Starship to not only be the company's next workhouse rocket, but also to send humans to Mars. NASA is also betting on Starship. It has Starship tapped to act as a human lander for its fast approaching Artemis III moon landing in 2027. The space agency also anticipates it will carry future missions to orbit and beyond, already having added it to the Launch Services Program. A lot is riding on a massive rocket which is set to eventually launch from Florida but progress has been slow. It wasn't a total loss for SpaceX, as there was a first. Tuesday's nineth test flight from Texas was the first to reuse a Super Heavy booster (lower stage). While the past two test flights did not go as well as planned with the ship (upper stage), the Super Heavy booster returned to the launch tower during those flights — in an impressive show toward reusability which was once science fiction. This will allow SpaceX to rapidly reuse boosters and bring down the cost of launches. For reference, it took SpaceX more than 30 flights to be able to reuse a Falcon 9 booster, which is now routine for the rocket as it lands on a drone ship or landing zone after every launch. It took Starship only nine flights to reuse a booster. The hope is that future Starship Super Heavy boosters will be capable of multiple launches per day. However, the launch on May 27 was not supposed to see the booster return to the launch tower, as SpaceX stated the plan was to test abnormal scenarios. The plan was to instead safely splash down in the Gulf of America, formerly known as the Gulf of Mexico. That didn't happen as the flight started to go wrong. The booster was lost upon decent, and footage of the return switched to high quality views of the ship coasting in space. As the ship coasted, eight mockup Starlink satellites, known as simulators, were planned to be deployed from the ship. This didn't happen either, as the payload door did not open correctly. As the ship coasted on its suborbital trajectory, the SpaceX team then attempted a relight a single Raptor engine. That had to be forgotten as it was apparent the ship was losing orientation and was now encountering serious issues. The footage turned a glowing red as the ship held on before its eventual demise over the planned splashdown area in the Indian Ocean. Despite the missed goals and destruction upon reentry, this ship was able to perform its long coast in space. The past two test flights from Texas failed under 10 minutes into the flight, resulting in the ship giving dramatic pyrotechnic shows over the islands and waters south of Florida. The last incident on March 6 not only put a ground stop to Florida flights, but was even visible from Cape Canaveral, which is the future launch site of the massive launch system. After the March 6 incident, SpaceX said it worked with the Bahamian government to organization clean-up efforts. It said that no hazardous material was released in the area, and water and marine life were not at risk from the debris. A launch date from 39A remains uncertain, yet SpaceX previously stated it is aiming for a Florida launch by the end of the year. It is nearing half way through the year, and Starship has yet to reach orbit. The company also has eyes on Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 37 as a future Starship pad. A massive Gigabay, a building that will be used to stack and finalize the 232-foot-tall Super Heavy boosters (lower-stages) before flight, is currently under construction by SpaceX's facility on Kennedy Space Center grounds. The 380-foot-tall structure will rival NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building, which stands at 525-feet-tall. This will make the Gigabay a recognizable feature looming in the distance on approach to Cape Canaveral. That is good news for the Florida space economy. The governor's office previously stated that brining SpaceX's Starship to Florida will include the addition of at least $1.8 billion of SpaceX capital investment and will bring an estimated 600 new full-time jobs to the area by 2030. When is the next Florida rocket launch? Is there a launch today? Upcoming SpaceX, Axiom, ULA rocket launch schedule at Cape Canaveral In future flights, the ship itself is also planned to be returned to the launch site. 'Developmental testing by definition is unpredictable. But by putting hardware in a flight environment as frequently as possible, we're able to quickly learn and execute design changes as we seek to bring Starship online as a fully and rapidly reusable vehicle,' the SpaceX website states. During the May 27 coverage, SpaceX stated it has a goal of 25 Starship launches per year. It's not just payloads and lunar landers that Starship will be utilized for. An uncrewed launch to Mars is also in the plans for late next year, when the planet will be close to Earth but Starship needs to make it past the testing phases in order for this to happen. "With a test like this, success comes from what we learn, and today's test will help us improve Starship's reliability as SpaceX seeks to make life multiplanetary," SpaceX stated on X. Brooke Edwards is a Space Reporter for Florida Today. Contact her at bedwards@ or on X: @brookeofstars. This article originally appeared on Florida Today: SpaceX's Starship suffers loss as plans proceed for future Florida launch
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Is Rocket Lab Stock a Buy Now?
Rocket Lab stock dropped after reporting an earnings miss earlier this week. The stock is up 25% off its lows and costs 10% more than before it missed earnings. Rocket Lab stock is volatile and will remain so. Wait for a pullback to buy. 10 stocks we like better than Rocket Lab USA › It's hard to keep a good company down, and Rocket Lab (NASDAQ: RKLB) investors are happy to realize this. Earlier this month, as you may recall, Rocket Lab shares tumbled after missing on first-quarter earnings but beating on sales and guiding investors lower than expected for Q2. It didn't take the company long to right the rocketship, however. In quick succession, Rocket Lab announced: A launch contract for the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to attempt point-to-point cargo transportation, launching a Neutron reusable rocket from point A on Earth and then landing it at some other point B -- also on Earth. A separate contract with NASA to launch the "Aspera" astrophysics science mission, which will "study the formation and evolution of galaxies and provide new insights into how the universe works." (Both these missions will launch in 2026. Neither one had a price disclosed.) The successful launch under an existing contract of a third (of eight total) synthetic aperture radar (SAR) Earth-imaging satellite for Japan's Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space, Inc. (iQPS). And the third (of four) launch and recovery of a W-class space capsule for orbital pharmaceuticals researcher Varda Space Industries. So it's been a busy week and a half for Rocket Lab, and all this activity has helped lift the stock nearly 25% off its post-earnings lows. In fact, Rocket Lab stock now costs 10% more than it did before investors sold it off on the earnings miss, which again, I should point out, happened less than two weeks ago! Granted, momentum investors can be a fickle bunch, selling like lemmings when news looks bad and displaying irrational exuberance when a former dog starts to look a bit like a growth stock. Still, this has been quite a roller-coaster ride. And it presents investors with an important question today: Were investors right to be worried by Rocket Lab's failure to hit its targets a couple of weeks ago? Or is the good news that Rocket Lab has seen in the days since that earnings release good enough to make the stock even more valuable now than it was before "missing earnings"? As a longtime shareholder in Rocket Lab myself, let me tell you how I look at it. Rocket Lab stock is volatile, but that kind of comes with the territory when investing in unprofitable start-up stocks that are hard to value on the earnings-that-they-don't-have-yet. It's going to remain volatile, too. Don't get me wrong. As America's second-most-frequent launcher of rockets, Rocket Lab does stretch the definition of "start-up." Still, the company lost $190 million last year and burned through $116 million in negative free cash flow. According to analysts polled by S&P Global Market Intelligence, moreover, Rocket Lab is still nearly two years away from reporting its first generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) profit and probably won't generate positive free cash flow before Q3 2026 -- about 18 months away. That's the bad news. The good news is that Rocket Lab remains on a strong growth track. Once Neutron begins launching regularly, revenues are forecast to explode, quadrupling to more than $1.8 billion by 2027, for example, with GAAP net income passing $300 million and free cash flow hurtling past $500 million. The question for long-term investors to ask, therefore, is whether it's reasonable to pay $11.8 billion for Rocket Lab today in hopes of seeing $300 million-ish profits (39x 2028 earnings) and $500 million-ish free cash flow (23x 2028 FCF) tomorrow. And the answer? I believe it actually is reasonable to make this investment, assuming you're willing to accept the risk that Rocket Lab takes longer than expected to hit these numbers and assuming the company's growth rate remains strong after it does so. That being said, I also think it's reasonable to anticipate Rocket Lab will hit bumps in the road between now and 2028. For example, as recently as 2022, analysts were forecasting Rocket Lab would earn its first profit in 2025. We now know that's not going to happen. It's therefore reasonable to anticipate other complications emerging as well -- a delay in Neutron's first launch to next year, for example, a delay in first profits past 2027, or similar "known unknowns." With Rocket Lab stock already well off its lows and trading for a rich 27 times trailing earnings, I just don't see a lot of room for error in the stock's valuation today. My advice would be to wait for a pullback and buy only after the margin of safety looks a bit wider. Before you buy stock in Rocket Lab USA, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Rocket Lab USA wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $639,271!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $804,688!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 957% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 167% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of May 19, 2025 Rich Smith has positions in Rocket Lab USA. The Motley Fool recommends Rocket Lab USA. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Is Rocket Lab Stock a Buy Now? was originally published by The Motley Fool
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Should You Buy Rocket Lab While It's Below $27?
Rocket Lab stock sold off after earnings this month, but quickly bounced back. At $26 a share or so, the stock has momentum from press releases -- but costs significantly more than it did before missing earnings. Rocket Lab stock could go on sale soon, if forced to delay its upcoming Neutron rocket launch. 10 stocks we like better than Rocket Lab USA › Rocket Lab (NASDAQ: RKLB) is on a roll. Recovering quickly from its first-quarter earnings miss earlier this month, shares of the manufacturer of small satellites and the small rockets to launch them zoomed higher after the company issued a series of press releases. Among other things, Rocket Lab has announced: A contract to experiment with point-to-point cargo transportation by rocket for the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL). A NASA contract to launch the Aspera spacecraft to "study the formation and evolution of galaxies and provide new insights into how the universe works." Another successful synthetic aperture radar (SAR) launch for Japan's Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space, Inc. (iQPS). And a third launch and recovery of a W-class space capsule for "orbital pharmaceuticals" company Varda Space Industries. At a price just under $26 today, Rocket Lab stock has now bounced back so high that it costs 9% more than it did before the earnings miss on May 8. But the stock's also still 20% below an intraday high set back in January. With momentum seemingly firmly on its side, investors may now be wondering: Should you buy Rocket Lab stock here at $26, before it rockets even higher? And the answer is a definite maybe. (Although I'm leaning toward no.) Don't get me wrong. I happen to think Rocket Lab is a great company, and with great long-term prospects. I just don't think you should overpay to own a piece of those prospects. If you look out five years, analysts polled by S&P Global Market Intelligence anticipate that Rocket Lab will grow into a solidly profitable company, doing $3.5 billion in annual revenue, and translating $1.1 billion of that revenue into real profit according to generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). Viewed from this perspective, Rocket Lab stock that costs $12 billion today (or just under $26 per share) looks pretty attractive, costing just 11 times earnings. The problem is, these are forward earnings. Very forward earnings. And they might not arrive either in the quantity, or according to the time frame, that analysts predict. (Case in point: In 2022, these same analysts were forecasting Rocket Lab would earn its first profit in 2025. But three years later, opinions have changed -- and Rocket Lab is forecast to lose $193 million this year.) Meanwhile, valued on the facts as they stand today, Rocket Lab has a meaningless earnings multiple due to having negative earnings. And it costs more than 27 times trailing-12-month sales (which is about 6 times the average valuation on unprofitable space stocks). This, then, is my first argument for not buying Rocket Lab stock today: It may look cheap based on hopes and dreams for what it might earn five years from now. Based on its performance to date, however, the stock looks expensive. My second reason for saying Rocket Lab stock is not a buy, though, is better news: Rocket Lab stock may cost too much today, but there's plenty of reason to expect it will become cheaper before long. Why is that? Right now, with no earnings to hang a P/E valuation on, Rocket Lab acts a lot like a momentum stock: shooting higher on positive press releases, only to turn around and plunge on negative earnings reports. Simply put, its stock price is driven by headlines, both good and bad. Now, the biggest good headline for Rocket Lab at present is the prospect that its new Neutron reusable rocket will launch later this year, maybe as early as July, but probably not. I believe this good news is priced into the stock already. And if I'm right, this means that the biggest upcoming catalyst will most likely be new news that Neutron will in fact launch on a date later than it's expected to. A launch delay in Neutron, I believe -- even a small one -- might spook momentum investors and lower Rocket Lab's stock price, without at the same time materially changing the company's growth prospects, or making the stock less attractive to long-term investors. Were I in the market to buy some more Rocket Lab shares (in addition to the shares I already own), this is the catalyst I'd be looking for: negative news that scares off momentum investors, without materially damaging the business. I might not buy Rocket Lab stock at $26. But if such a catalyst drives the stock down into the teens or lower, then I probably would buy more Rocket Lab stock. Before you buy stock in Rocket Lab USA, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Rocket Lab USA wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $640,662!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $814,127!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 963% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 168% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of May 19, 2025 Rich Smith has positions in Rocket Lab USA. The Motley Fool recommends Rocket Lab USA. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Should You Buy Rocket Lab While It's Below $27? was originally published by The Motley Fool Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Rocket Lab USA (NasdaqCM:RKLB) Partners With BlackSky For Satellite Launch Expansion
With Rocket Lab USA gearing up to launch BlackSky's second Gen-3 satellite, the company's stock surged 35% over the last month. This impressive move aligns with Rocket Lab's successful Earth return mission for Varda Space Industries and NASA's selection for the Aspera mission in 2026. Although the broader market faced downturns due to fiscal concerns, Rocket Lab's strong growth narrative in the satellite launch sector likely reinforced investor confidence. Positive events from Rocket Lab likely added a counterweight to the market's overall decline, contributing to its robust price performance despite general volatility. You should learn about the 2 possible red flags we've spotted with Rocket Lab USA. Trump's oil boom is here — pipelines are primed to profit. Discover the 22 US stocks riding the wave. The recent surge in Rocket Lab's share price aligns with positive developments in its launch services and strategic collaborations, potentially reinforcing its growth narrative. With the company's shares experiencing an extremely large return of 479.95% over the last year, its long-term performance provides a stark contrast to the broader market, which saw a 9.1% return over the past year. This highlights Rocket Lab's ability to exceed market benchmarks, emphasizing investor optimism in its expanding capabilities. Rocket Lab's news of increased launch capabilities and new product offerings, such as the Flatellite, could boost revenue and earnings forecasts. The focus on end-to-end space services and the development of the Neutron rocket for medium-class launches may drive significant revenue growth. However, execution risks and market competition remain challenges that could affect these projections. Despite recent positive price movements, Rocket Lab's current share price of US$22.4 is slightly below the consensus analyst target of US$24.6, reflecting a modest 9.0% potential upside. This suggests that while investors are optimistic, some cautiousness remains until further progress in its strategic objectives is realized. As Rocket Lab continues to track its ambitious growth plans, the market will likely remain attentive to its operational milestones and alignment with projected revenue and earnings trajectories. Review our historical performance report to gain insights into Rocket Lab USA's track record. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Companies discussed in this article include NasdaqCM:RKLB. This article was originally published by Simply Wall St. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@ Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
