Rocket Lab USA, has been tapped to support two major government initiatives aimed at accelerating hypersonic technology development for the United States and the United Kingdom. The company will provide launch services, engineering support, and testing capabilities via its HASTE (Hypersonic Accelerator Suborbital Test Electron) launch vehicle.
In the United States, Rocket Lab has been selected as a participant in the U.S. Air Force's $46 billion Enterprise-Wide Agile Acquisition Contract (EWAAC), an indefinite delivery-indefinite quantity (IDIQ) agreement that runs through 2031. Designed for rapid procurement of emerging technologies and engineering solutions, the EWAAC program empowers the Air Force to quickly access cutting-edge services across multiple domains.
Simultaneously, Rocket Lab has been named an approved supplier in the United Kingdom’s £1 billion (~$1.3 billion USD) Hypersonic Technologies & Capability Development Framework (HTCDF), led by the Ministry of Defence. This initiative aims to fast-track the development of advanced, sovereign hypersonic technologies for the U.K.
With these selections, Rocket Lab is now eligible to compete for task orders and contracts under both programs. Central to its offerings is the HASTE launch vehicle, a specialized suborbital version of its flagship Electron rocket. Built with carbon composite structures and powered by 3D-printed engines, HASTE features an enhanced upper stage and expanded payload capacity—up to 700 kilograms (1,540 pounds)—to support a wide range of hypersonic test missions.
HASTE can deploy payloads at speeds exceeding 7.5 km/s, enabling testing of air-breathing, glide, and ballistic systems, as well as re-entry technologies. To date, Rocket Lab has conducted multiple successful HASTE missions for the U.S. Department of Defense, including two launches within a 21-day period from its Virginia-based Launch Complex 2. Across its Electron and HASTE vehicles, Rocket Lab has launched over 200 payloads from both U.S. and New Zealand launch sites.
Rocket Lab founder and CEO, Sir Peter Beck, emphasized the importance of the company’s role in advancing hypersonic innovation. “It’s an honor for Rocket Lab to contribute to the national security efforts of both the U.S. and U.K. through these transformative programs,” Beck said. “With HASTE, we’re offering an all-in-one, affordable, and high-frequency platform that is uniquely suited to drive forward the future of hypersonic testing and development.”
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