Rocket Lab Launches Seventh HASTE Rocket for US Defense Hypersonic Test
WALLOPS ISLAND, Va. (AP) — Rocket Lab launched its seventh HASTE rocket, named "That's Not A Knife," from Launch Complex 2 at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island, Virginia, at 1 p.m. New Zealand time on Saturday, the company said. The mission supported a hypersonic test for the U.S. Department of Defense's Defense Innovation Unit.
The launch marked Rocket Lab's second successful hypersonic test mission for the Defense Innovation Unit. HASTE, a suborbital variant of the Electron rocket, provides a cost-effective testbed for hypersonic payloads. The rocket achieved suborbital trajectories that mimic operational hypersonic profiles, sources familiar with the program said.
Rocket Lab has maintained a 100% success rate across all seven HASTE missions, the company said. This launch followed a prior hypersonic test on Nov. 24, which sources identified as the first Defense Innovation Unit mission. Long-exposure photos confirmed that earlier launch, industry reports said.
The company has secured multiple contracts with the Department of Defense for HASTE missions. Rocket Lab signed a deal with Leidos for four missions in 2024 and 2025 under the MACH-TB program, contract announcements said. Separately, Kratos selected Rocket Lab for a full-scale test under the MACH-TB 2.0 program, valued at $1.45 billion, with execution planned no earlier than the first quarter of 2026, sources said.
Rocket Lab joined the U.S. Air Force's $46 billion EWAAC indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract, company filings showed. The firm also secured a parallel contract with the United Kingdom's Ministry of Defence, defense sources said. These agreements position HASTE for air-breathing, glide and ballistic hypersonic testing.
"HASTE is a cost-effective and responsive hypersonic testbed that enables precision payload delivery for every mission," Rocket Lab said in a press release.
The HASTE rocket uses 3D-printed engines based on the Electron design. It supports high-cadence testing at lower costs than traditional ranges, according to the Defense Innovation Unit's HyCat project. HyCat stands for hypersonic and high-cadence testing capabilities, SpaceNews reported.
Rocket Lab's partnerships include the Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane and the S2MARTS consortium. Hypersonix provided a 3D-printed drone payload for one prior mission, program details said.
This launch represented Rocket Lab's 82nd Electron or HASTE mission overall and its third in 2024, the company said. Founded in New Zealand and now based in the U.S., Rocket Lab debuted the Electron rocket in 2017 and adapted it for HASTE suborbital tests starting around 2022.
The U.S. Department of Defense seeks to accelerate hypersonic technology development amid competition with China and Russia, defense analysts said. Hypersonic systems operate at speeds greater than Mach 5. Traditional land and sea ranges limit testing frequency and increase costs, industry experts said.
Commercial providers like Rocket Lab offer responsive space capabilities, enabling tests in weeks rather than years. "Commercial companies are forging ahead towards reusable and low-cost test vehicles," SpaceNews quoted experts in a report on the Defense Innovation Unit's HyCat project.
Rocket Lab's defense contracts contribute to a multi-billion-dollar pipeline, company statements said. The hypersonics market could exceed $10 billion by 2030, market forecasts said. This aligns with broader trends in dual-use commercial rockets for defense applications, analysts said.
The launch ties into the AUKUS pact involving the U.S., U.K. and Australia for hypersonic collaboration, sources said. Rocket Lab plans to develop the Neutron rocket for larger payloads, building on Electron's more than 50 flights.
"Rocket Lab was selected to join the Kratos-led team... after previously delivering multiple, successful, hypersonic test missions," the company said in an announcement.
Details on the exact payload for "That's Not A Knife" remain classified. The mission achieved precision delivery, preliminary reports said. Rocket Lab trades on Nasdaq under the ticker RKLB, with defense work accounting for over 20% of revenue, financial disclosures said.
The launch occurred amid Rocket Lab's expansion at Wallops Island. Future missions under Leidos and Kratos contracts will use the same site, program timelines said.
No issues occurred during the launch, Rocket Lab said. The mission underscores HASTE's role in U.S. hypersonic advancements, defense officials said.
