Rocket Lab Corp. (NASDAQ:RKLB) pulled off its 98th Electron mission on Friday, sending three satellites skyward for signals intelligence company HawkEye 360. The launch lifted off from New Zealand at 8:11 p.m. local time and placed the three HAWK satellites into a 520-kilometer low Earth orbit.
Those satellites aren't just pretty lights in the sky. They'll collect radio frequency data for maritime tracking, GPS interference detection, radar monitoring and defense applications. It was Rocket Lab's third dedicated mission for HawkEye 360 and its 19th successful Electron launch of 2026.
And here's the fun milestone: with 98 missions in the books, Rocket Lab is now just two launches away from its 100th Electron flight. Not bad for a company that keeps finding ways to make small rockets look like a real business.
Neutron Rocket Delay Remains in Focus
The successful Electron mission comes as Rocket Lab faces setbacks in developing its larger Neutron rocket, whose debut has been pushed to 2027. The delay followed the discovery of manufacturing defects in a critical first-stage component, raising concerns about the rocket's development timeline.
While Electron continues to deliver successful missions, the Neutron delay remains a key concern as Rocket Lab works to expand into the larger launch market. In other words, the small-rocket engine is humming, but the big-rocket story is stuck in the hangar for now.
Stock Analysis
Rocket Lab stock fell about 1% in premarket trading Friday as weaker stock index futures weighed on investor appetite for high-growth stocks. Nasdaq futures declined 0.37%, while S&P 500 futures slipped 0.50%.
The decline comes as Rocket Lab struggles to recover from a prolonged selloff, with shares trading well below key moving averages. Rocket Lab shares remain under pressure, trading 21.4% below their 20-day simple moving average (SMA) of $64.44 and 37.3% below their 200-day SMA of $80.74.
The 20-day SMA remains below the 50-day SMA, signaling continued weakness. A death cross formed in August when the 50-day SMA fell below the 200-day SMA, reinforcing the bearish trend.
However, the relative strength index (RSI) of 29.09 suggests the stock is oversold. While this could support a short-term rebound, selling pressure may persist. The stock faces immediate resistance at $60.95, near its 20-day exponential moving average (EMA). Its 52-week low of $37.57 serves as a key support level.
Earnings And Analyst Outlook
Rocket Lab is scheduled to report third-quarter earnings on Nov. 9, 2026. Analysts expect a loss of 7 cents per share, compared with a year-earlier loss of 3 cents. Revenue is projected to rise to $255.71 million from $155.05 million.
Wall Street maintains a consensus Buy rating on Rocket Lab, with an average price forecast of $104.43. Recent analyst actions include Citizens lowering its price forecast to $90 on Oct. 16 while maintaining a Market Outperform rating. TD Cowen reiterated its Buy rating and $90 price forecast on Oct. 15. KeyBanc maintained an Overweight rating but reduced its price forecast to $100 the same day.
RKLB Stock Price Action
Rocket Lab shares fell 0.98% to $50.72 in Friday's premarket trading, according to market data.
