Rocket Lab’s second dedicated mission for Leidos successfully lifted off on November 24, 2024, at 06:00 UTC. The launch was performed by HASTE, a vehicle derived from the two-stage orbital-class expendable Electron, from Pad 0C (Rocket Lab LC-2) within NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility.
This mission marks the second launch of HASTE (Hypersonic Accelerator Suborbital Test Electron) and the first of four launches planned for Leidos between 2024 and 2025.
Rocket Lab was selected by Leidos to provide hypersonic test launch capabilities with HASTE under the MACH-TB project. The project was awarded by Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Crane through the Strategic and Spectrum Missions Advanced Resilient Trusted Systems (S2MARTS) Other Transaction Authority (OTA) vehicle on behalf of the U.S. Department of Defense Test Resource Management Center (TRMC).
Jeffrey McCormick, senior intelligence analyst said, “China now has the world’s leading hypersonic arsenal, and Russia currently has three deployed hypersonic weapon systems, including two that have been used in a conflict against Ukraine.”
Rocket Lab launched the first HASTE mission on 17 June 2023 for Leidos under the Multi-Service Advanced Capability Hypersonic Test Bed (MACH-TB) program.
Rocket Lab’s HASTE suborbital launch vehicle is derived from the Company’s Electron rocket but has been modified to support hypersonic payload deployment. By leveraging the heritage of Rocket Lab’s low-cost Electron – the world’s most frequently launched commercial small launch vehicle – HASTE offers true commercial testing capability at a fraction of the cost of current full-scale tests.
Rocket Lab Leidos 2/HASTE mission on hold “delayed and not happening”
As of current information, the Rocket Lab “Leidos 2” mission, also known as a HASTE (Hypersonic Accelerator Suborbital Test Electron) mission for Leidos, is currently on hold, at Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2 at Virginia’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport within NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility, with the countdown paused; meaning the launch is delayed and not happening as planned. The exact reason for the hold is not explicitly stated, but it is likely related to technical issues or necessary adjustments before launch.
Rocket Lab will launch four HASTE (Hypersonic Accelerator Suborbital Test Electron) missions for Leidos in 2024 and 2025. All four missions will launch from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2 at Virginia’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport within NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility.
Rocket Lab was selected by Leidos to provide hypersonic test launch capabilities with HASTE under the MACH-TB project. The project was awarded by Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Crane through the Strategic and Spectrum Missions Advanced Resilient Trusted Systems (S2MARTS) Other Transaction Authority (OTA) vehicle on behalf of the U.S. Department of Defense Test Resource Management Center (TRMC).
Rocket Lab launched the first HASTE mission on 17 June 2023 for Leidos under the Multi-Service Advanced Capability Hypersonic Test Bed (MACH-TB) program.
Rocket Lab’s HASTE suborbital launch vehicle is derived from the Company’s Electron rocket but has been modified to support hypersonic payload deployment. By leveraging the heritage of Rocket Lab’s low-cost Electron – the world’s most frequently launched commercial small launch vehicle – HASTE offers true commercial testing capability at a fraction of the cost of current full-scale tests.