Rocket Lab USA, Inc. has announced the successful launch of its first suborbital testbed launch vehicle, HASTE (Hypersonic Accelerator Suborbital Test Electron), for a confidential customer. The inaugural launch took place on June 17 at 21:24 Eastern local time from Rocket Lab’s Launch Complex 2 at Virginia’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport within NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility. The HASTE suborbital launch vehicle is derived from the Company’s Electron rocket but has a modified Kick Stage for hypersonic payload deployment, a larger payload capacity of up to 700 kg / 1,540 lbs and options for tailored fairings to accommodate larger payloads. By leveraging the heritage of Rocket Lab’s low-cost Electron, HASTE offers true commercial testing capability at a fraction of the cost of current full-scale tests. HASTE will be primarily operated under Rocket Lab National Security (RLNS), the Company’s wholly owned subsidiary created to serve the unique needs of the U.S. defense and intelligence community and its allies.
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