Rocket Lab's vertical integration is structurally diluting the margins that made it special. Q3 GAAP gross margin is guided to 29-31% from 36.1%, and purchase accounting from Mynaric and Motiv explains at most a third of the drop. Per management, components earn over 70% margins while satellite platforms run in the mid-30s, and the growth is in platforms. Neutron sells full-price $50-55M slots but has never flown, so its value as a second launch source remains unrealized. x.comÂ