Why Rocket Lab Stock Took Flight on Tuesday

RKLB jumped 8.28% on Tuesday after Rocket Lab announced that Neutron's second stage and thrust module have left the factory and are headed to the Virginia launch site for testing.

The shipment is a tangible milestone for Neutron, the rocket whose schedule has been the stock's central overhang. Rocket Lab previously pushed Neutron's inaugural launch from year-end 2026 to Q2 2027 after a propellant dome defect. Hardware now moving toward Virginia suggests the program is advancing past that setback, though the delayed timeline remains in place and no new launch date accompanied the news.

Analyst support reinforced the move. Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated an overweight rating on RKLB with a $122 price target, implying 127% upside from current levels. That target works out to a share price of roughly $53.70 before Tuesday's gain is considered, so the call frames the stock as deeply undervalued if Neutron executes.

Interpretation: the market appears to be rewarding evidence of physical progress over schedule rhetoric. An 8.28% single-day gain on a hardware-shipment announcement shows how sensitive RKLB is to Neutron news flow, in both directions.