---
id: "entity-product-neutron"
type: "entity"
entityType: "product"
canonicalName: "Neutron"
aliases: ["Neutron rocket"]
canonical_url: "rocketlabcorp.com (Launch – Neutron)"
source_timestamps: ["§ Fueling Growth"]
tags: ["launch-vehicle", "medium-lift"]
related: ["entity-org-rocket-lab", "question-frugality-in-heavy-lift"]
sources: ["tail2"]
sourceVaultSlug: "hbr-seg-tail2"
originDay: 2
articleStem: "hbr-tail-119-rocket-lab-founder"
sourceUrl: "https://hbr.org/2026/03/the-founder-of-rocket-lab-on-competing-with-billionaires-to-lead-in-space"
sourceTitle: "The Founder of Rocket Lab on Competing with Billionaires to Lead in Space"
---
# Neutron

[[entity-org-rocket-lab|Rocket Lab]]'s **medium-lift launch vehicle**, currently in development and poised for a **2026 debut**. Funded by the company's **2021 SPAC IPO**, it is designed to lift **13,000 kilograms** to orbit — **43× more mass** than [[entity-product-electron|Electron]]'s 300 kg — targeting constellation deployment, national-security missions, and deep-space exploration. Whether Rocket Lab's frugal, fail-fast methods scale to this vehicle is the subject of open question [[question-frugality-in-heavy-lift]] (and it raises the stakes of [[question-scaling-hustle-culture]]).

**Enrichment context:** partially reusable; advertised launch price ~$50–55M with estimated cost of goods ~$20–25M; roughly **$300M earmarked** for development.

**Canonical reference:** rocketlabcorp.com → Launch – Neutron.