NEW YORK, December 30, 2025, 4:40 PM ET — After-hours.
- Rocket Lab shares closed up 0.47% at $70.45 after a wide intraday swing. 1
- In after-hours trading, the stock edged up to $70.50, little changed from the close. 2
- Investors remain focused on execution of a major Space Force satellite award and progress toward the larger Neutron rocket. 3
Rocket Lab shares ended modestly higher on Tuesday after giving up an early run-up, as year-end trading kept the space and defense supplier volatile.
The stock closed up 0.47% at $70.45, and was up 0.08% at $70.50 in after-hours trading, when stocks trade after the 4 p.m. ET close. 1
The move matters because Rocket Lab has become a high-beta proxy for U.S. defense-space spending and commercial launch demand, after a sharp late-December rally that pushed it near its 52-week high. 1
That rally has been fueled by investor focus on the company’s expanding satellite manufacturing work and expectations for key 2026 milestones, including its next-generation Neutron rocket. 4
On Tuesday, Rocket Lab traded between $70.44 and $74.69 after opening at $73.03, according to market data. 1
Volume was about 30.0 million shares versus a three-month average of 23 million, a sign of heavy turnover as the stock digested a rapid run-up. 1
In mid-December, Rocket Lab said it won an $816 million prime contract from the U.S. Space Development Agency to design and manufacture 18 satellites for the agency’s Tracking Layer Tranche 3 program. 3
“The Tranche 3 Tracking Layer constellation is part of the U.S. Space Force’s strategy to counter rapidly evolving global threats,” founder and CEO Peter Beck said. 3
Reuters reported the Space Development Agency reached agreements with four suppliers — Lockheed Martin, L3Harris Technologies, Northrop Grumman and Rocket Lab — to build 72 infrared satellites worth about $3.5 billion, with launches expected in 2029. 5
Rocket Lab has also highlighted its launch cadence. The company said it finished 2025 with 21 Electron launches and 100% mission success, and that its next Electron launch is slated for early in the first quarter of 2026. 6
Investors are also tracking Neutron, which would move Rocket Lab into a larger launch segment. NASASpaceFlight.com reported Neutron’s debut is targeted no earlier than mid-2026, with the first flight vehicle expected to ship to Wallops Island in the first quarter of 2026. 4
Traders heading into Wednesday’s session are watching whether shares hold the $70 area and whether the stock can retest the $79.83 52-week high, after the latest after-hours range ran from $70.12 to $70.85. 1
One risk in focus is execution on fixed-price defense contracts, which typically put cost overruns on the contractor. Reuters said the SDA contracts were fixed-priced. 5
