The Kratos programme has been designed with the aim of expanding the number and frequency of opportunities to test hypersonic technologies. (File pic) Photo: Rocket Lab
Rocket Lab, which launches from the the Māhia Peninsula and at sites in the US, has been chosen to launch a hypersonic test flight next year under a Pentagon programme.
It will be the first full-scale test flight under a NZ$2.4 billion hypersonic contract won by California company Kratos.
Rocket Lab subcontracts to Kratos, using its Haste rocket launched out of Virginia, rather than the Electron it more commonly uses to put up satellites.
"I'm confident this will be the first of many new opportunities to serve the nation," said founder and chief executive Sir Peter Beck.
The Kratos programme has been designed with the aim of expanding the number and frequency of opportunities to test hypersonic technologies.
Rocket Lab was selected to join the Kratos-led team of subcontractors for Mach-TB 2.0 in January after several successful hypersonic test launches for the first part n of the Mach-TB programme from 2023.
A few days ago, Rocket Lab was tapped to take part in two other hypersonic test programmes by the US and the UK military.
At a business networking event in London overnight, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has been promoting New Zealand's expertise in the space sector.
He told the gathering New Zealand had more to offer than meat and dairy.
"What you don't know is that we are the fourth biggest launcher of rockets into space, behind the US, Russia and China," Luxon said.
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