{"id":305404,"date":"2026-02-19T03:42:13","date_gmt":"2026-02-19T03:42:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/305404\/"},"modified":"2026-02-19T03:42:13","modified_gmt":"2026-02-19T03:42:13","slug":"thats-not-a-knife-pentagon-aims-to-unleash-haste-rocket-on-mission-to-amplify-u-s-hypersonic-tech","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/305404\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cThat\u2019s Not a Knife\u201d: Pentagon Aims to Unleash \u2018HASTE\u2019 Rocket on Mission to Amplify U.S. Hypersonic Tech \u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

A next-generation rocket will soon take flight as part of an ongoing effort to elevate U.S. development of hypersonic<\/a> capabilities.<\/p>\n

The test, which will involve the HASTE rocket developed by Rocket Lab Corporation, will be conducted for the Pentagon\u2019s<\/a> Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), the organization that guides the U.S. military\u2019s use of nascent technologies by its commercial partners.<\/p>\n

The forthcoming launch mission, dubbed \u201cCassowary Vex,\u201d could send the hypersonic aircraft skyward as soon as the end of February, according to information released by Rocket Lab earlier this month.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s Not a Knife <\/p>\n

The forthcoming launch will mark Rocket Lab\u2019s fourth hypersonic test conducted within the last six months, operating under the appropriate launch event name \u201cThat\u2019s Not a Knife,\u201d in reference to the speeding<\/a> aircraft\u2019s streamlined, almost alien appearance.<\/p>\n

According to a statement<\/a> issued by the company, its latest propulsion test \u201creflects Rocket Lab\u2019s investment in restoring the nation\u2019s hypersonic test capabilities through its commercial speed, innovation, and execution,\u201d all of which the Pentagon has identified as critical priorities, especially amid increased levels of hypersonic aircraft development by Russia<\/a> and China<\/a> in recent years.<\/p>\n

The Cassowary Vex Mission <\/p>\n

At the heart of the Cassowary Vex mission and its HASTE launch is DART AE, a scramjet-powered<\/a> aircraft developed in cooperation with Rocket Labs partners at Australian aerospace engineering firm Hypersonix, which were the rocket\u2019s principal developers.<\/p>\n

If all goes according to plan, \u201cThat\u2019s Not a Knife\u201d is expected to take place from Rocket Lab\u2019s Launch Complex 2 on Wallops Island, Virginia, located at the Virginia Spaceport Authority\u2019s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport.<\/p>\n

Elevating American Hypersonic Capabilities<\/p>\n

The forthcoming HASTE launch mission is part of Rocket Lab\u2019s ongoing collaboration with the DIU to advance U.S. hypersonic systems amid growing demand<\/a> for such capabilities<\/a> over the last decade<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Known as \u201cthe Pentagon\u2019s Innovation Experiment,\u201d the DIU\u2019s work is driven by contributions from both active duty and reserve military personnel, as well as civilian staff members.<\/p>\n

\t\t <\/p>\n

\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\"lightning\t\t\t<\/a>
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t <\/p>\n

In a statement, the company said that its efforts, which aim to prioritize affordability and overall access to advanced hypersonic systems, will also strengthen defense capabilities by \u201cincreasing the test launch tempo for the United States and its allies.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHASTE gives testers unprecedented control over flight profiles and environments up to Mach 20,\u201d the statement read, characterizing the company\u2019s offerings as \u201ca commercial capability that remains unmatched globally and expands and secures U.S. space superiority.\u201d<\/p>\n

Additional details about the forthcoming launch and Rocket Lab\u2019s ongoing development of next-generation hypersonic technologies can be found on its website.<\/p>\n

Micah Hanks is the Editor-in-Chief and Co-Founder of The Debrief. A longtime reporter on science, defense, and technology with a focus on space and astronomy, he can be reached at\u00a0micah@thedebrief.org<\/a>. Follow him on X\u00a0@MicahHanks<\/a>, and at\u00a0micahhanks.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t