HASTE for MACH-TB 2.0

Rocket Lab has been selected to be a member of the team, led by Kratos, to rapidly increase hyperstonic flight test capacity for the Department of Defense through the he Multi-Service Advanced Capability Hypersonic Test Bed (MACH-TB) 2.0. The total potential value of the MACH-TB 2.0 Contract Award over a five-year period is $1.45 billion.

Rocket Lab will launch the first full-scale flight test awarded by Kratos for MACH-TB 2.0 from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2 in Virginia in Q1 2026.

Operating at an unmatched commercial price, capability, and launch cadence, HASTE is uniquely qualified to meet the needs of the MACH-TB 2.0 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. Combined, Rocket Lab’s HASTE and Electron launch vehicles have deployed 200+ payloads to date.

Three HASTE launches for the initial MACH-TB program have taken place to date in June 2023, November 2024, and December 2024, with a fourth full scale hypersonic flight test with another provider scheduled to launch in 2025.