Rocket Lab USA, Inc. has been awarded a contract valued at up to $190 million to conduct up to 20 launches of its suborbital launch vehicle, HASTE (Hypersonic Accelerator Suborbital Test Electron), for hypersonic test flights. The company announced the contract, its largest launch contract by value, on March 19, 2026.
The launches will support the U.S. Department of Defense's (DoD) hypersonic test requirements. Rocket Lab stated the contract was secured under the DoD's Multi-Service Advanced Capability Hypersonics Test Bed (MACH-TB) program, which is led by the Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division. The HASTE vehicle is a modified version of Rocket Lab's Electron rocket, designed specifically for suborbital and hypersonic testing.
Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck stated the contract "cements Rocket Lab's position as a leading launch provider for hypersonic test and development." The company noted the award brings its total launch backlog to over 70 missions and increases its total backlog across launch and space systems to over $2 billion.
