Rocket Lab prepares to launch latest hypersonic test mission for Defense Innovation Unit

Rocket Lab Corporation, a global leader in launch services and space systems, announced its next launch is a dedicated mission on its HASTE rocket for the Department of War’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU).

The mission, named Cassowary Vex, is scheduled to launch no earlier than late February from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2 within the Virginia Spaceport Authority’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island, Virginia.

The HASTE launch, dubbed ‘That’s Not A Knife,” is the latest mission of the DIU and will deploy DART AE, a scramjet-powered aircraft developed by Australian aerospace engineering firm Hypersonix.

This latest HASTE launch, Rocket Lab’s fourth hypersonic test mission in under six months, reflects the company’s investment in restoring the nation’s hypersonic test capabilities through its commercial speed, innovation, and execution - a critical priority for the Department of War. By lowering cost barriers and increasing the test launch tempo for the United States and its allies, HASTE gives testers unprecedented control over flight profiles and environments up to Mach 20 – a commercial capability that remains unmatched globally and expands and secures U.S. space superiority.

Next HASTE launch details:

• Mission name: Cassowary Vex
• Launch name: That’s Not A Knife
• Launch Window Open: late February
• Customer: Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) & Hypersonix
• Launch Site: Launch Complex 2, Virginia
• More info: Launches | Rocket Lab