Rocket Lab to Conduct Hypersonic Test Flight Under MACH-TB 2.0 Program

Rocket Lab to Conduct Hypersonic Test Flight Under MACH-TB 2.0 Program
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Apr 24, 2025

Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB), a key provider of launch services and space systems, has secured a new contract to launch a full-scale hypersonic test flight on behalf of the U.S. Department of Defense. The mission, commissioned by Kratos under the MACH-TB 2.0 initiative, will utilize Rocket Lab's HASTE vehicle and is scheduled to lift off from Launch Complex 2 at Wallops Island, Virginia, no earlier than the first quarter of 2026.

The agreement marks the first full-scale flight test contract awarded by Kratos through the MACH-TB 2.0 program-a $1.45 billion effort aimed at expanding access to hypersonic testing. Rocket Lab was added to the MACH-TB 2.0 subcontractor team in January, building on its prior MACH-TB engagements, which included three successful test launches, two of which occurred within a three-week span.

HASTE, the Hypersonic Accelerator Suborbital Test Electron, is a modified version of Rocket Lab's Electron rocket, tailored for suborbital missions. Sharing core technologies like 3D-printed engines and carbon composite structures, HASTE is designed with a reconfigured upper Kick Stage and can accommodate payloads up to 700 kg (1,540 lbs). It supports testing of hypersonic, glide, ballistic, and atmospheric reentry systems at speeds exceeding 7.5 km/s. Across both its HASTE and Electron platforms, Rocket Lab has launched over 200 payloads.

"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," said Rocket Lab CEO Sir Peter Beck.

This mission joins a growing schedule of HASTE launches set for 2025 and 2026. Among upcoming flights is a test for the Defense Innovation Unit involving a scramjet-powered vehicle, an extension of a five-launch agreement with Leidos, and a classified hypersonic test for an undisclosed client.

In parallel with MACH-TB, Rocket Lab's HASTE platform has been incorporated into other major defense initiatives. In the United States, HASTE is now eligible under the $46 billion Enterprise-Wide Agile Acquisition Contract (EWAAC), expanding its potential role in U.S. Air Force projects. In the UK, HASTE has been included in the Ministry of Defence's Pounds 1 billion Hypersonic Technologies and Capability Development Framework, reinforcing its international strategic value.