Mitrade Insights is dedicated to providing investors with rich, timely and most valuable financial information to help investors grasp the market situation and find timely trading opportunities.

2021

Best News & Analysis Provider

FxDailyInfo

2022

Best Forex Educational Resources Global

International Business Magazine

Insights

News

Why Rocket Lab Stock Bounced Back on Friday

Source The Motley Fool

Rocket Lab (NASDAQ: RKLB) shareholders received some wonderful news Thursday night when the U.S. Department of Defense announced that the company, along with privately held Stoke Space, had been added to "Lane 1" of Phase 3 of the National Security Space Launch program by U.S. Space Force.

In response, Rocket Lab stock soared by more than 7% in the opening minutes of trading Friday before retreating to about a 3.5% gain as of 10:05 a.m. ET.

Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Learn More »

More good news for Rocket Lab

In its own press release, Rocket Lab clarified that NSSL Phase 3 Lane 1, or NSSL3(1), is a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract worth up to $5.6 billion for Rocket Lab if it wins all of the contracts on offer over the five-year period ending June 2029. In other words, NSSL3(1) is an umbrella contract that states the total amount of money up for grabs and lists all the space companies that can bid on the contracts to fulfill individual launches and be paid for them.

Rocket Lab now shares this list with Stoke Space, Blue Origin, United Launch Alliance, and SpaceX. A minimum of 30 launches are anticipated under NSSL3(1).

So Rocket Lab can bid on the individual launches. Before it can conduct launches under NSSL3(1), however (and be paid for them), it first needs to receive national security certification for its new Neutron rocket, which will require at least two successful launches.

Close-up view of engine firing at Electron rocket launch from LC-1 in New Zealand.

Image source: Rocket Lab.

Is Rocket Lab stock a buy?

Management anticipates the first launch of Neutron will occur in the second half of this year, with a second launch sometime in 2026. The company will be paid $5 million up front to help it cover the costs of earning certification for the Neutron.

In the best case, this means investors should expect the first money from this umbrella contract to start arriving probably no sooner than mid-2026. Assuming all goes well, though, this will help Rocket Lab achieve analysts' consensus target of $895 million for its 2026 revenue, and potentially help it generate nearly $84 million in positive free cash flow.

Should you invest $1,000 in Rocket Lab USA right now?

Before you buy stock in Rocket Lab USA, consider this:

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Rocket Lab USA wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

Consider when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $682,965!*

Stock Advisor provides investors with an easy-to-follow blueprint for success, including guidance on building a portfolio, regular updates from analysts, and two new stock picks each month. The Stock Advisor service has more than quadrupled the return of S&P 500 since 2002*. Don’t miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor.

See the 10 stocks »

*Stock Advisor returns as of March 24, 2025

Rich Smith has positions in Rocket Lab USA. The Motley Fool recommends Rocket Lab USA. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Disclaimer: For information purposes only. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Recommended Articles

Gold Price Analysis Today | Forex Gold Analysis | XAU/USD Analysis - November 11, 2026 Get the latest gold price analysis, forex gold insights, and XAU/USD analysis for November 11, 2026. Read on for the details.

Author Mitrade

Nov 11, Wed

Get the latest gold price analysis, forex gold insights, and XAU/USD analysis for November 11, 2026. Read on for the details.

Nvidia slid 7.7% after hours while AMD and Broadcom rose — the AI trade changed hands, it didn't break Nvidia closed Wednesday at 173.73, up 2.87%, then fell as much as 8.1% to 159.44 after reports that its board was preparing for a possible leadership change. The same session, the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index rose 5.7% with all 30 components higher, CoreWeave jumped 24.7% on 168% revenue growth, and Micron added 11.9%. If AI demand were being repriced, AMD and Broadcom would not be bid. This is a governance discount on one name, and 204.54 — the 200-day average — is the level that settles it.

Author Irene Q.

Nov 12, Thu

Nvidia closed Wednesday at 173.73, up 2.87%, then fell as much as 8.1% to 159.44 after reports that its board was preparing for a possible leadership change. The same session, the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index rose 5.7% with all 30 components higher, CoreWeave jumped 24.7% on 168% revenue growth, and Micron added 11.9%. If AI demand were being repriced, AMD and Broadcom would not be bid. This is a governance discount on one name, and 204.54 — the 200-day average — is the level that settles it.

US October PPI Preview: Fed Rate Hike Expectations Rise, PPI May Be Key Variable; How Will US Stocks, Dollar, and Gold Move?On Friday (Nov. 13) Eastern Time, the U.S. will release the October Producer Price Index (PPI). Following the October CPI once again exceeding expectations, the market will look to the PP

Author TradingKey

Nov 12, Thu

On Friday (Nov. 13) Eastern Time, the U.S. will release the October Producer Price Index (PPI). Following the October CPI once again exceeding expectations, the market will look to the PP

Gold hit a one-year low while central banks bought 321 tonnes — the sellers were never the ones you think Spot gold closed at 3,876 on Thursday, down 2.8% and its lowest close in more than a year, with an intraday low near 3,852. The dollar is at a 19-month high of 103.21 and the 10-year yield is at 5.10%, so the price move is easy to explain. What is harder to explain is who sold: central banks bought 321 tonnes in Q3, the PBoC added for a 24th straight month, ETF holdings are near a record 4,256 tonnes, and roughly 95% of the futures selling came from non-reportable and sovereign-type accounts rather than hedge funds. This piece separates the two books that have to balance.

Author Irene Q.

Yesterday 02: 40

Spot gold closed at 3,876 on Thursday, down 2.8% and its lowest close in more than a year, with an intraday low near 3,852. The dollar is at a 19-month high of 103.21 and the 10-year yield is at 5.10%, so the price move is easy to explain. What is harder to explain is who sold: central banks bought 321 tonnes in Q3, the PBoC added for a 24th straight month, ETF holdings are near a record 4,256 tonnes, and roughly 95% of the futures selling came from non-reportable and sovereign-type accounts rather than hedge funds. This piece separates the two books that have to balance.

Brent rose 3.3% and US crude stocks built 4.66 million barrels in the same week Brent January settled at 95.82, up 3.3%, and WTI at 88.74, up 2.55%, after the US signalled it would not pursue a deal with Iran and attacks on Gulf shipping continued. In the same week, EIA data showed US crude inventories rising 4.657 million barrels against expectations of a 1.1 million draw, with gasoline up another 1.799 million. OPEC output also rebounded 1.96 million barrels a day to 27.16 million in October, led by Saudi Arabia at 10.56 million. This piece separates the geopolitical premium from the physical balance and lays out where each side of the trade is anchored.

Author Irene Q.

Yesterday 03: 06

Brent January settled at 95.82, up 3.3%, and WTI at 88.74, up 2.55%, after the US signalled it would not pursue a deal with Iran and attacks on Gulf shipping continued. In the same week, EIA data showed US crude inventories rising 4.657 million barrels against expectations of a 1.1 million draw, with gasoline up another 1.799 million. OPEC output also rebounded 1.96 million barrels a day to 27.16 million in October, led by Saudi Arabia at 10.56 million. This piece separates the geopolitical premium from the physical balance and lays out where each side of the trade is anchored.

Popular Symbols