LONG BEACH, Calif., — April 4, 2026 Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) has signed a $190 million agreement for a block buy of 20 hypersonic test launches, marking the largest single launch contract in the company’s history and reinforcing its expanding role in U.S. national security missions.
The agreement, finalized and announced on March 18, supports the Multi-Service Advanced Capability Hypersonic Test Bed (MACH-TB) 2.0 program. The initiative is managed by the U.S. Department of Defense’s Test Resource Management Center (TRMC) in coordination with the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Crane Division, and is designed to accelerate hypersonic technology development through frequent and standardized flight testing.
Contract Scope and Program Structure
Under MACH-TB 2.0, Rocket Lab will serve as the launch provider for 20 dedicated missions under Task Area 1, led by prime contractor Kratos Defense & Security Solutions. The launches are scheduled over a four-year period, with the first mission expected within months of the contract signing.
The MACH-TB 2.0 program aims to establish a centralized, high-cadence testing framework for the Department of Defense. It is intended to provide an operational bridge between ground-based testing and full system-level flight trials, enabling faster validation of hypersonic technologies and reducing development timelines.
HASTE Launch Vehicle Capabilities
Rocket Lab will conduct the missions using its HASTE (Hypersonic Accelerator Suborbital Test Electron) vehicle, a suborbital variant of the Electron rocket tailored for hypersonic test applications. The vehicle is designed to deploy experimental payloads along controlled trajectories at speeds exceeding Mach 5 (approximately 3,800 mph).
HASTE offers a payload capacity of up to 700 kilograms, significantly higher than Electron’s ~225 kilograms to low Earth orbit. The platform provides a controlled test environment for evaluating thermal protection systems, sensors, and communications technologies under extreme velocity conditions.
Since its debut in June 2023, HASTE has completed seven missions with a 100% success rate. Several of these flights have supported U.S. government hypersonic testing, including earlier work under the MACH-TB program.
Launch Operations and Infrastructure
The hypersonic missions are expected to be conducted primarily from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2 at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, Virginia, providing a domestic, responsive launch capability for time-critical defense experiments.
Rocket Lab also operates a launch facility at the Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand, which has supported previous HASTE missions. However, specific launch locations and payload details for the 20 contracted missions have not been disclosed, consistent with the classified nature of many hypersonic test activities.
Financial Performance and Backlog Growth
The $190 million contract has increased Rocket Lab’s launch backlog to more than 70 missions. When combined with its Space Systems division, which manufactures satellites and spacecraft components, the company’s total backlog now exceeds $2 billion.
Rocket Lab reported strong commercial momentum at the start of 2026, selling 28 launches in Q1 2026, nearly matching the total launches sold in 2025.
The agreement reflects a broader defense sector trend toward block-buy contracting, enabling predictable testing schedules and reduced cost per flight.
Industry Position and Strategic Outlook
While Rocket Lab continues development of its Neutron rocket for future orbital missions, its Electron and HASTE platforms remain central to current revenue and operations. The growing demand for dedicated and responsive launch services, particularly for defense applications, has positioned the company as a key commercial partner in hypersonic research and testing.
Leadership Statement
Sir Peter Beck, founder and CEO of Rocket Lab, said the agreement strengthens collaboration with U.S. defense agencies:
“Our expanded partnership with MACH-TB and the Department of Defense strengthens America’s national security and delivers reliable, modern hypersonic capabilities with speed and affordability. Our advanced technology, responsive launch schedules, and mass production of our HASTE hypersonic rockets are enabling faster progress across a range of hypersonic experiments by our government and industry partners.”
Broader Defense Context
The MACH-TB 2.0 program incorporates commercial launch providers to supplement government-owned test infrastructure, increasing the pace and flexibility of hypersonic experimentation. The initiative supports broader U.S. defense priorities focused on advancing hypersonic weapons and enabling rapid transition from experimental systems to operational capabilities.
Rocket Lab’s continued involvement in the program since 2023, combined with the newly awarded contract, highlights the growing reliance on commercial aerospace firms to deliver scalable, high-frequency testing solutions for next-generation defense technologies.
——— End of Article ———
