Artist's impression of the Neutron landing platform 'Return On Investment'.
Rocket Lab Corporation (Nasdaq: RKLB) (“Rocket Lab” or “the Company”), a global leader in launch services and space systems, today announced it has awarded a contract to Bollinger Shipyards, the largest privately owned new construction and repair shipbuilder in the United States, to support the build out of Rocket Lab’s ocean landing platform for its Neutron reusable rocket.
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Artist's impression of the Neutron landing platform 'Return On Investment'.
Modification and fit-out of Rocket Lab technology to its 400-ft-long landing platform named ‘Return On Investment’ has begun and is taking place at Bollinger Shipyards, primarily at its shipyard in Amelia, Louisiana, with delivery of the vessel to Rocket Lab expected in early 2026. Bollinger Shipyards, a premier builder of high-performance vessels, will leverage its extensive experience in marine engineering to complete the Rocket Lab-led design of the rocket-landing platform that includes autonomous ground support equipment, blast shielding for on-deck equipment protection during Neutron landings, and station-keeping thrusters for the platform to hold its position during Neutron return-to-Earth missions at sea.
Reusability is key to Rocket Lab’s development of Neutron. To meet the increasing demand for regular and reliable launch to space for large single satellites, multi-satellite constellation deployment, and high assurance national security missions, Rocket Lab expects to quickly scale Neutron and double its launch capacity annually once it enters service – with “Return On Investment” integral to that effort. Rocket Lab’s development of recovery infrastructure in Louisiana builds upon the Company’s existing U.S. expansion plans for Neutron’s operations and development, with “Return On Investment” to be operated out of the U.S. East Coast to support timely delivery and return of Neutron rockets to its launch site on Wallops Island, Virginia.
Rocket Lab Vice President – Neutron, Shaun D’Mello, says: “Neutron’s ability to return to Earth on ‘Return On Investment’ and launch again and again will be foundational to its success. With Bollinger’s extensive experience in marine engineering and shipbuilding, they have been selected to deliver this critical project. We’re looking forward to working with Bollinger to create the conditions to modernize Louisiana’s shipyard capabilities to meet the demands of the aerospace industry’s cutting-edge capabilities.”
Bollinger Shipyards President and CEO, Ben Bordelon, says: “Bollinger is proud to partner with Rocket Lab on a project that showcases both the ingenuity and innovation of American shipbuilding and the future of space flight. At Bollinger, we’ve spent decades building some of the most advanced vessels in the world. We’re honored to have been selected to bring our deep expertise and experience in marine engineering and fabrication to a program that pushes the boundaries of what’s possible.”
About ‘Return On Investment’
‘Return On Investment’ is Rocket Lab’s sea-based landing platform for Neutron, the Company’s new reusable 141 ft (43 m) medium-lift rocket. Under construction at Bollinger Shipyards in Amelia, Louisiana, the landing platform is built upon a modified barge the ‘Oceanus’, is Jones Act compliant, and will be operated out of the U.S. East Coast. ‘Return On Investment’ will be equipped with propulsion systems to maintain the platform’s target position, thermal protection systems to conserve electrical and other support equipment installed on the deck, and Rocket Lab-developed technology for securing and processing Neutron. ‘Return On Investment is expected to enter service in 2026.
About Neutron
Rocket Lab’s new reusable rocket Neutron is a next-generation challenger to the medium-lift launch industry. Neutron’s advanced architecture includes carbon composite for all of the rocket’s major structures, and an integrated system that brings Neutron’s Stage 1 and payload fairings back to Earth as a single stage – fully optimized for reuse and launch frequency to deliver cost-effective, reliable, and responsive launch for commercial and government missions. Capable of delivering a 13-ton payload to space before returning to Earth, Neutron is powered by Rocket Lab’s newly-developed Archimedes engine, an oxidizer-rich staged combustion cycle engine capable of a combined 1,450,000 pounds of thrust across nine engines on Neutron’s reusable Stage 1. Neutron will fly from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 3 (LC-3) located at Wallops Island, Virginia from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS).
About Rocket Lab
Founded in 2006, Rocket Lab is an end-to-end space company with an established track record of mission success. We deliver reliable launch services, satellite manufacture, spacecraft components, and on-orbit management solutions that make it faster, easier, and more affordable to access space. Headquartered in Long Beach, California, Rocket Lab designs and manufactures the Electron small orbital rocket, the HASTE launch vehicle for hypersonic technology tests, a family of flight-proven spacecraft, and its new medium-lift launch vehicle Neutron. Since its first orbital launch in January 2018, Electron has become the second most frequently launched U.S. rocket annually and has delivered more than 200 satellites to orbit for private and public sector organizations, enabling operations in national security, scientific research, space debris mitigation, Earth observation, climate monitoring, and communications. Rocket Lab spacecraft have been selected to support NASA missions to the Moon and Mars, as well as the first private mission to Venus. Rocket Lab has three launch pads at two launch sites, including two launch pads at its private orbital launch complex in New Zealand and third launch pad in Virginia. To learn more, visit www.rocketlabcorp.com
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We intend such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward looking statements contained in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). All statements contained in this press release other than statements of historical fact, including, without limitation, statements regarding our launch and space systems operations, launch schedule and window, safe and repeatable access to space, Neutron development, operational expansion and business strategy are forward-looking statements. The words “believe,” “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “potential,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “expect,” “strategy,” “future,” “could,” “would,” “project,” “plan,” “target,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, though not all forward-looking statements use these words or expressions. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including but not limited to the factors, risks and uncertainties included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, as such factors may be updated from time to time in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), accessible on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov and the Investor Relations section of our website at www.rocketlabcorp.com, which could cause our actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements made in this press release. Any such forward-looking statements represent management’s estimates as of the date of this press release. While we may elect to update such forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we disclaim any obligation to do so, even if subsequent events cause our views to change.
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