Mission Success: Rocket Lab Launches 2nd Hypersonic Test Mission in Three Months for Defense Innovation Unit

LONG BEACH, Calif., Feb. 27, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rocket Lab Corporation (Nasdaq: RKLB) (“Rocket Lab” or “the Company”), a global leader in launch services and space systems, today successfully launched its latest hypersonic test mission on its HASTE rocket for the Department of War’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) – supporting a critical national priority to advance hypersonic technology for the United States and its allies.

“That’s Not A Knife” lifted off on February 27 at 7:00 p.m. Eastern (February 28, 00:00 UTC) from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2 within the Virginia Spaceport Authority’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island, Virginia – the second successful launch of a hypersonic test mission for the DIU in three months and 7th HASTE launch overall. The mission deployed DART AE, a scramjet-powered aircraft developed by Australian aerospace engineering firm Hypersonix, into a suborbital hypersonic flight environment at several times the speed of sound.

With 100% mission success across all HASTE launches, Rocket Lab is helping to shape a new era of hypersonic systems testing with speed and precision, lower costs, and a modern test platform that serves the Department of War’s critical technology priorities. In under two years since its inaugural launch, HASTE has rapidly established itself as a premier commercial test platform for hypersonic systems. By combining Rocket Lab’s unmatched operational speed and cadence with the versatility to support diverse mission profiles within a single test platform, HASTE is driving significant advancements in hypersonic innovation and technology readiness for the nation.

Rocket Lab’s Vice President Global Launch Services, Brian Rogers, says: “This launch is another proud moment for the HASTE team and a great showcase of the important commercial platform it has become for the Department of War. Regular and reliable HASTE launches are helping to accelerate hypersonic readiness for the nation, and we take pride in providing the foundation to a new era of testing of this critical technology to protect the United States space security.”

Hypersonix CEO, Matt Hill, says: “This mission is a major milestone for Hypersonix and our flight test program. Successfully flying DART AE in a real hypersonic environment validates years of disciplined engineering and preparation by our team. Launching aboard Rocket Lab’s HASTE vehicle enabled us to execute the mission with speed and precision. This flight moves us from ground-based validation into true hypersonic operations and brings us closer to delivering reusable hypersonic capability that is operationally relevant for our partners and allies.”

“That’s Not A Knife” is Rocket Lab’s third launch of the year with 100% mission success and 82nd launch overall, maintaining the global superiority of Rocket Lab’s small-lift launch capabilities across government and commercial missions.

Rocket Lab Media Contact
Murielle Baker
[email protected]

About Rocket Lab
About Rocket Lab Rocket Lab is a leading space company that provides launch services, spacecraft, payloads and satellite components serving commercial, government, and national security markets. Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket is the world’s most frequently launched orbital small rocket; its HASTE rocket provides hypersonic test launch capability for the U.S. government and allied nations; and its Neutron launch vehicle in development will unlock medium launch for constellation deployment, national security and exploration missions. Rocket Lab’s spacecraft and satellite components have enabled more than 1,700 missions spanning commercial, defense and national security missions including GPS, constellations, and exploration missions to the Moon, Mars, and Venus. Rocket Lab is a publicly listed company on the Nasdaq stock exchange (RKLB). Learn more at www.rocketlabcorp.com.

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 https://investors.rocketlabcorp.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.