Is Rocket Lab's Neutron Rocket a True Competitor to SpaceX's Falcon 9?

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The Neutron is the rocket that Rocket Lab intends to compete with SpaceX's Falcon9. Still in development Rocket Lab is planning to use composites for tankage and airframe. Didn't SpaceX try this for the Falcon but abandoned it in favor of proprietary stainless steel?

https://www.teslarati.com/rocket-lab-reusable-neutron-rocket-first-hardware/

 

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The Falcon 9 tanks are aluminium, the interstage and fairing are carbon fiber plus aluminium.
SpaceX originally wanted to build Starship using carbon fibers and got a giant tool for it but then switched to steel - cheaper, faster to work with, and it can withstand higher temperatures.

Neutron will use an expendable second stage so it doesn't have to worry about atmospheric entry at orbital velocities. The first stage is much slower.