Rocket Lab wins $266M Space Force suborbital launch contract

Rocket Lab secured a $266 million firm-fixed-price contract from the U.S. Space Force to conduct 12 suborbital launches, with an option for six more, from the Pacific Spaceport Complex in Alaska by the end of 2028. The work uses Rocket Lab's HASTE (Hypersonic Accelerator Suborbital Test Electron) vehicle, an Electron-derived testbed that requires no Neutron flight, and builds on a $190 million, 20-flight HASTE award in March. Space Systems Command made the award after a competitive acquisition, obligating $112 million in fiscal 2025 funds upfront and adding near-term revenue to a backlog already above $2.2 billion; RKLB shares rose on the news.