- Rocket Lab (RKLB, Financial) awarded a contract by Kratos for a hypersonic test flight for the Department of Defense (DOD).
- The launch is part of the MACH-TB 2.0 program, valued at $1.45 billion, to expand hypersonic testing opportunities.
- HASTE, a variant of Rocket Lab's Electron rocket, is designed for rapid deployment and hypersonic technology tests.
Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (RKLB), a prominent player in the launch services and space systems sector, has been awarded a significant contract by Kratos to conduct a full-scale hypersonic test flight for the United States Department of Defense. The mission is part of the second phase of the Multi-Service Advanced Capability Hypersonic Test Bed (MACH-TB) 2.0 program, aimed at accelerating hypersonic technology testing.
The launch will take place using Rocket Lab’s HASTE rocket at Launch Complex 2 on Wallops Island, Virginia, no earlier than the first quarter of 2026. This award marks the first full-scale flight test under the MACH-TB 2.0 contract, a $1.45 billion initiative to enhance the testing opportunities of hypersonic technologies.
Rocket Lab was selected due to the successful execution of multiple hypersonic test launches during the first iteration of the MACH-TB program, including rapid consecutive launches for the DOD. The HASTE rocket, a suborbital variant of Rocket Lab's Electron, is designed to meet the specific requirements of hypersonic test missions, offering a payload capacity of up to 700 kg and deploying technologies at speeds exceeding 7.5 km per second.
This mission adds to Rocket Lab’s increasing manifest of HASTE launches planned for 2025 and 2026, which includes projects for the Defense Innovation Unit and a multi-launch agreement with Leidos. Additionally, Rocket Lab's HASTE has been incorporated into the United States Air Force’s $46 billion Enterprise-Wide Agile Acquisition Contract and the UK’s Hypersonic Technologies & Capability Development Framework.
Peter Beck, Rocket Lab’s founder and CEO, emphasized the company's commitment to advancing hypersonic innovation, stating, "HASTE has quickly emerged as a leading commercial test platform, and we’re proud to contribute to the MACH-TB program to further the nation's capabilities."
