This is for the Test Resource Management Center (TRMC) Multi-Service Advanced Capability Hypersonic Test Bed (MACH-TB) 2.0 program (a MACH-TB follow-on program).
The program is a U.S. Department of War effort executed in partnership with Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division (NSWC Crane). It`s main objective is to provide an affordable bridge between hypersonic ground tests and system level flight tests, in order to reduce overall hypersonic development risks and time, and provide rapid transition of innovative hypersonic technologies to the warfighter.
Rocket Lab will perform 20 hypersonic test flights
The signing of the latest contract is Rocket Lab’s single largest launch agreement yet. Under MACH-TB 2.0 Task Area 1, led by Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Rocket Lab will perform 20 hypersonic test flights with its HASTE launch vehicle over a four-year period.
HASTE is a three stage suborbital testbed launch vehicle derived from Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket. It features a modified third stage with a larger payload capacity (max 700 kg) that can place payloads in different trajectories for simulating flight conditions for hypersonic and sub-orbital vehicles. These aerothermodynamic loads are difficult to simulate in ground based test facilities.
The launch vehicle can integrate payloads of different sizes (by making use of tailored fairings) and for different flight profiles, ranging from air breathing, boost glide to ballistic re-entry.
Single largest launch contract in Rocket Lab’s history
The new award is the single largest launch contract in Rocket Lab’s history, bringing the total number of launches in backlog to more than 70 and pushing Rocket Lab’s total backlog across launch and space systems to more than $2 billion, according to a press release.
Since 2023 Rocket Lab has conducted seven successful (Mach 5+) HASTE launches with 100% mission success rate under the MACH-TB program.
