Rocket Lab Corporation (NASDAQ:RKLB) shares are trading relatively flat in the premarket session on Tuesday, after ending Monday's session with 5% gain.
- Rocket Lab shares are showing limited movement. What's next for RKLB stock?
The firm revealed that its novel "Hungry Hippo" fairing for the Neutron launch vehicle has passed qualification testing and is now heading to Virginia ahead of its maiden launch.
The company says this milestone brings the rocket one step closer to its debut launch.
What Is Hungry Hippo?
Neutron's Hungry Hippo is a captive payload fairing that stays attached to the rocket's first stage through launch and landing.
Instead of dropping its fairing like traditional rockets, Neutron opens the halves to deploy the second stage and payload.
The panels then close again, allowing the entire first stage, fairing included, to fly back to Earth.
This design aims to enable rapid reuse and reduce costs.
The qualification confirms that the fairing can survive extreme launch loads and operate reliably.
In testing, engineers applied roughly 275,000 pounds of force to the fairing's carbon-composite structure to simulate the maximum aerodynamic pressure, or Max Q.
The system also demonstrated opening and reclosing in about 1.5 seconds under flight-like conditions.
Next Steps Before Launch
After landing on the U.S. East Coast, the fairing will be shipped to Launch Complex 3 at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport in Virginia. There, it will be integrated with Neutron's first stage in the final flight configuration.
Rocket Lab plans to conduct static-fire tests and a "wet dress rehearsal" before the first liftoff in 2026.
This apart, Rocket Lab recently announced via X (formerly Twitter) that the launch window for the mission has been updated to no earlier than Dec. 12 to allow time for additional checkouts.
This follows previous delays caused by unfavorable weather in New Zealand.
The mission is Rocket Lab's 19th Electron launch of 2025 and will fly for the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).
It will carry the RAISE-4 satellite, further expanding the company's government portfolio.
The schedule shift has done little to dampen market enthusiasm.
Shares recently surged past $50, as space stocks rallied after OpenAI's Sam Altman said he was considering acquiring or partnering with a rocket company to compete with SpaceX.
According to Benzinga Pro, RKLB stock has gained over 27% in the last 5 days.
The recent rally also reflects growing interest across the satellite sector, driven partly by media reports hinting that SpaceX might be valued near $800 billion.
However, Elon Musk on Saturday rejected media suggestions that SpaceX is pursuing an $800 billion valuation in a new funding round, calling those reports inaccurate, per a Reuters report.
"SpaceX has been cash flow positive for many years and does periodic stock buybacks twice a year to provide liquidity for employees and investors," Musk said in a post on X.
RKLB Price Action: Rocket Lab shares were up 0.47% at $51.80 during premarket trading on Tuesday, according to Benzinga Pro data.
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