On February 27 at 7:00 p.m. Eastern, Rocket Lab’s HASTE rocket lifted off from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island, Virginia, executing its latest hypersonic test mission for the Defense Innovation Unit. The vehicle, nicknamed “That’s Not A Knife,” reached suborbital altitudes and achieved multiple times the speed of sound to validate critical hypersonic systems.

This mission represents the second HASTE launch for the Defense Innovation Unit in three months, the seventh HASTE flight overall, Rocket Lab’s third launch of 2026 and its 82nd mission since inception. With every HASTE launch achieving 100% mission success, the platform has swiftly become a go-to commercial testbed for rapid hypersonic experimentation.

The mission carried Hypersonix’s DART AE, a scramjet-powered aircraft, into a true hypersonic flight environment, allowing in-flight data collection at several times Mach 1. Transitioning from ground tests to airborne operations, DART AE’s performance under real flight conditions marks a key milestone toward reusable hypersonic vehicles.

Rocket Lab’s consistent HASTE successes reinforce its value proposition to government and allied customers by offering fast, cost-effective access to hypersonic testing. The repeatable launch cadence and proven reliability position Rocket Lab to secure additional Defense Innovation Unit contracts and expand its footprint in the hypersonic technology market.