Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (RKLB) is experiencing a downturn today, potentially influenced by recent developments surrounding its Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission proposal. The company has been vocal about its ability to deliver the mission faster and more affordably than current plans, but NASA's recent announcements have not favored Rocket Lab's approach. As one Reddit user noted, "Absolutely the truth too. I was stunned listening to mid 2035-2039 and minimum 5.8 billion knowing RocketLab bid 2031/2033 and for $2B." This sentiment reflects frustration over NASA's preference for more traditional, and potentially more expensive, options.
Additionally, Rocket Lab's recent selection by Kratos to deliver hypersonic test launches for the Department of Defense has been met with mixed reactions. While some see it as a positive development, others believe the news was already priced in, as indicated by a Reddit user stating, "Isn’t this old news and already priced in?" This suggests that while the contract is beneficial for Rocket Lab's long-term prospects, it may not be enough to drive immediate stock price increases.
Rocket Lab's stock is currently trading at $27.43, down 1.86% from the previous close of $27.95. The stock opened at $27.30 and has seen a low of $26.76 and a high of $28.32 so far today. Despite being early in the trading day, the volume is relatively low at 4,007,885 shares, representing only 19.27% of the average daily volume of 20,802,301 shares.