Rocket Lab Awarded New HASTE Launch Contract for the DOD by Kratos

By: Rocket Lab USA, Inc. via Business Wire

April 23, 2025 at 16:30 PM EDT

Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) (“Rocket Lab” or “the Company”), a global leader in launch services and space systems, today announced it has been selected by Kratos to launch a full-scale hypersonic test flight for the Department of Defense (DOD) under the Multi-Service Advanced Capability Hypersonic Test Bed (MACH-TB) 2.0 program. The mission will launch on Rocket Lab’s HASTE rocket from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2 on Wallops Island, Virginia no earlier than Q1, 2026.

The launch agreement is the first full-scale flight test to be awarded by Kratos under the MACH-TB 2.0 contract, a $1.45 billion program designed to rapidly expand the number and frequency of opportunities to test hypersonic technologies for the nation. Rocket Lab was selected to join the Kratos-led team of subcontractors for MACH-TB 2.0 in January this year after previously delivering multiple successful hypersonic test launches for the first iteration of the MACH-TB program from 2023. Successful missions to date include three launches for the DOD – including twice within just 21 days – from Rocket Lab’s Launch Complex 2 in Virginia.

Operating at an unmatched commercial price, capability, and launch cadence, HASTE is uniquely qualified to meet the needs of the MACH-TB mission. A suborbital variant of Electron - the world’s most frequently launched small orbital rocket - HASTE includes much of the same innovative technology as Electron, including carbon fiber composite structures and 3D printed rocket engines, but has a modified upper Kick Stage tailored for hypersonic technology tests and a larger payload capacity of up to 700 kg / 1,540 lbs. HASTE can deploy technologies at speeds of more than 7.5km per second to test air-breathing, glide, and ballistic payloads, as well as technologies to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere from space. Combined, Rocket Lab’s HASTE and Electron launch vehicles have deployed 200+ payloads to date.

Rocket Lab founder and CEO, Sir Peter Beck, says: “In less than two years since its first launch, HASTE has quickly emerged as a leading commercial test platform of hypersonic systems. With our operational speed and cadence, and the ability to serve multiple mission profiles all in one platform, HASTE is helping to move the needle on hypersonic innovation. I’m confident this will be the first of many new opportunities to serve the nation through the MACH-TB program, and we’re proud to be working alongside Kratos to bring this test flight to the launch pad on a rapid timeline.”

The mission is the latest to join an increasing manifest of HASTE launches for 2025 and 2026. Upcoming flight tests with HASTE include a mission for the Defense Innovation Unit to deploy a scram-jet powered vehicle at hypersonic speed; continuation of a multi-launch contract with Leidos to deploy five missions in total for the first iteration of the MACH-TB program; and a hypersonic test flight for a confidential customer.

In addition to MACH-TB, HASTE has recently been onboarded to two significant defense initiatives. In the United States, HASTE is now part of the $46 billion Enterprise-Wide Agile Acquisition Contract (EWAAC) under the United States Air Force. This inclusion enables Rocket Lab to compete to provide launch services and engineering expertise to support the development of new capabilities. In the United Kingdom, HASTE has been added to the Ministry of Defence’s (UK MOD) Hypersonic Technologies & Capability Development Framework (HTCDF), a £1 billion (~$1.3 billion) program aimed at rapidly advancing the nation's hypersonic capabilities.

About Rocket Lab

Founded in 2006, Rocket Lab is an end-to-end space company with an established track record of mission success. We deliver reliable launch services, satellite manufacture, spacecraft components, and on-orbit management solutions that make it faster, easier, and more affordable to access space. Headquartered in Long Beach, California, Rocket Lab designs and manufactures the Electron small orbital launch vehicle, a family of flight-proven spacecraft, and the Company is developing the large Neutron launch vehicle for constellation deployment. Since its first orbital launch in January 2018, Rocket Lab’s Electron launch vehicle has become the second most frequently launched U.S. rocket annually and has delivered more than 200 satellites to orbit for private and public sector organizations, enabling operations in national security, scientific research, space debris mitigation, Earth observation, climate monitoring, and communications. Rocket Lab’s spacecraft have been selected to support NASA missions to the Moon and Mars, as well as the first private commercial mission to Venus. Rocket Lab has three launch pads at two launch sites, including two launch pads at a private orbital launch site located in New Zealand and a third launch pad in Virginia.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We intend such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward looking statements contained in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). All statements contained in this press release other than statements of historical fact, including, without limitation, statements regarding our launch and space systems operations, launch schedule and window, safe and repeatable access to space, Neutron development, operational expansion and business strategy are forward-looking statements. The words “believe,” “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “potential,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “expect,” “strategy,” “future,” “could,” “would,” “project,” “plan,” “target,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, though not all forward-looking statements use these words or expressions. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including but not limited to the factors, risks and uncertainties included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, as such factors may be updated from time to time in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), accessible on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov and the Investor Relations section of our website at www.rocketlabusa.com, which could cause our actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements made in this press release. Any such forward-looking statements represent management’s estimates as of the date of this press release. While we may elect to update such forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we disclaim any obligation to do so, even if subsequent events cause our views to change.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250423653679/en/

Contacts

Rocket Lab Media Contact

Murielle Baker

media@rocketlabusa.com

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Rocket Lab Awarded New HASTE Launch Contract for the DOD by Kratos

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