Overview
- Rocket Lab launched the mission, dubbed “That’s Not A Knife,” on February 27 at 7 p.m. ET from Wallops Island using its HASTE vehicle.
- DART AE entered a suborbital environment and flew at several times the speed of sound, with one report noting speeds above Mach 5.
- The U.S. Defense Innovation Unit sponsored the flight to leverage a commercial launch platform for hypersonic testing.
- Rocket Lab said this was its second DIU hypersonic test in three months and the seventh HASTE mission, contributing to 82 total company launches and three in 2026 to date.
- Hypersonix leaders said the flight data will guide next steps toward higher‑speed vehicles targeting up to Mach 12, with the company describing the milestone as the first Australian hypersonic flight despite the U.S. launch site.