A manufacturing flaw found during production has forced Rocket Lab to push its most ambitious rocket program past a deadline investors were counting on, and now the question is how much longer the cash burn can stretch before something has to give.

Shares of aerospace and defense company Rocket Lab (NASDAQ:RKLB) fell 9.8% in the morning session after the company announced an update adjusting the target schedule for the inaugural launch of its Neutron launch vehicle to 2027.

CoreWeave shares fall as concerns continue to mount about the company’s debt.

Iridium would more than double Rocket Lab’s revenue base based on its 2025 results and bring a profitable business.

Rocket Lab executive Brian Roger said HASTE enables “low-cost, high-frequency hypersonic and missile defense testing.”

Two fresh analyst actions frame the current mood. Barclays initiated coverage on October 8 with an Overweight rating and an $85 price target. A day later, TD Cowen's Gautam Khanna lowered his target to $90 from $120 while keeping a Buy rating, as part of a broader third-quarter outlook on the aerospace and defense sector.