LONG BEACH, Calif. - Rocket Lab Corporation announced the signing of its single largest launch agreement yet: a $190 million contract for a block buy of 20 hypersonic test flights with its HASTE launch vehicle for the Test Resource Management Center (TRMC) Multi-Service Advanced Capability Hypersonic Test Bed (MACH-TB) 2.0 program - a U.S. Department of War effort executed in partnership with Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division (NSWC Crane) to rapidly accelerate hypersonic flight tests and advanced aerospace technologies shaping the future of defense missions.

Under MACH-TB 2.0 Task Area 1, led by Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc Rocket Lab will perform 20 hypersonic test flights with its HASTE launch vehicle over a four-year period. The first of these 20 new missions is expected to take place within months of contract signing, demonstrating Rocket Lab's operational efficiency and ability to move quickly to meet modern warfare demands.

Rocket Lab is at the forefront of hypersonic flight tests for the nation. With multiple HASTE launches at speeds of Mach 5+ already successfully completed for the MACH-TB program since 2023, this expanded multi-year launch partnership builds upon Rocket Lab’s demonstrated success delivering high-cadence hypersonic capabilities at scale for the warfighter - a critical technology area for the Department of War that will deliver the greatest impact, fastest results, and most decisive advantage for its armed forces. With a 100% mission success rate across all HASTE launches, Rocket Lab continues to demonstrate the commercial responsiveness and precision that hypersonic programs demand to address pressing national security challenges.

These 20 new HASTE missions for MACH-TB are the latest additions to Rocket Lab’s manifest that now includes more than 70 launches in backlog. Combined with other recently signed agreements for HASTE missions and orbital Electron launches, Rocket Lab has sold 28 new launches in Q1 2026 far, almost as many launches as the Company sold in the full year 2025. The exponential growth of its dedicated launch services underpins Electron’s role as the small launch vehicle of choice for commercial, civil, and defense missions.

Source: Rocket Lab
Associated URL: https://rocketlabcorp.com/updates/rocket-lab-secures-190m-contract-for-20x-haste-launches-cements-hypersonics-leadership-with-department-of-war-partnership/

OTTAWA - Telesat announced it is adding 500 MHz of military Ka-band (Mil-Ka) spectrum to the initial 156 satellites in the Telesat Lightspeed constellation to meet the fast-growing global requirements of allied defense users. Mil-Ka is immediately adjacent to the commercial Ka-band spectrum used by Telesat Lightspeed, which allows the change to be made without adversely impacting schedule and with only a modest impact on program cost. The 500 MHz of Mil-Ka will replace the same amount of commercial Ka-band spectrum on the network’s user link, with the gateway link being unaffected by the spectrum change.

Governments have long relied on geostationary (GEO) Mil-Ka systems to meet their most mission critical satellite communications requirements. More recently, and as a result of evolving operational requirements, advances in technology, and a significant increase in defense spending by NATO members and other allied governments, military planners are advancing satellite communications programs that leverage the advantages of distributed, resilient, high throughput, low-latency LEO networks. Telesat Lightspeed was designed from inception to meet the security and resiliency requirements of defense organizations, and the addition of interoperable Mil-Ka connectivity further enhances its ability to support rapidly expanding defense and sovereignty requirements.

Military satcom architectures require interoperability across national networks, enabling coalition partners to integrate capabilities, share mission-critical connectivity, and maintain assured communications under joint operational command. With persistent global coverage - including over the Arctic - Telesat Lightspeed Mil-Ka services add a powerful, dedicated layer of interoperable capacity through a secure, flexible, and highly robust data transport layer. The first two Telesat Lightspeed production satellites will be launched in December 2026, followed by a high cadence launch schedule throughout 2027.

Source: Telesat
Associated URL: https://www.telesat.com/press/press-releases/telesat-adds-military-ka-band-to-telesat-lightspeed-to-meet-strong-global-demand-for-defence-and-sovereignty-requirements/

BREMEN, Germany - Fast, precise, cost efficient: OHB Sweden, a subsidiary of the space technology group OHB, has won a major contract worth EUR 248 million to develop and build 20 small satellites for EUMETSAT Polar System - Sterna (EPS-Sterna). The program will complement the existing fleet of EUMETSAT, Europe’s meteorological satellite agency, and is funded by its member states. The foundation for this is the Arctic Weather Satellite (AWS), which OHB Sweden successfully placed in orbit as a demonstrator more than a year ago. The OHB SE subsidiary developed the small satellite on behalf of the European Space Agency ESA in record time, using a deliberately chosen New Space approach. Only three years passed between contract award and launch. For the first time, the Swedish space company will now build a large constellation.

Why EPS Sterna is essential

The polar regions play a central role in global climate dynamics but remain underserved in terms of weather data, as geostationary weather satellites cannot capture the high latitudes. The AWS demonstrator has shown how a small satellite equipped with a microwave radar can deliver precise temperature and humidity profiles of the atmosphere - even through dense clouds and extreme polar weather conditions.

To provide meteorological services with reliable data continuity, EPS Sterna will consist of three generations of six small satellites each. ESA is developing the program on behalf of EUMETSAT. The goal is a continuous data stream from the Arctic. These measurements are crucial for faster and more accurate weather forecasts and are also needed to improve global climate models.

European teamwork with a strong industrial consortium

OHB Sweden is the prime contractor for the delivery of the satellites for the EPS Sterna constellation. The consortium also includes Omnisys in Sweden as the supplier of the microwave instruments, which constitute the primary meteorological payload. A total of 20 satellites will be delivered under the contract. The industrial team includes approximately 30 companies. Germany is also strongly represented by SMEs that will contribute key hardware for the instrument and the satellite platform. The satellites will be procured by EUMETSAT through ESA. EUMETSAT itself will develop the ground segment, procure and provide the launch services, operate the satellites, manage the constellation and distribute the data through its data distribution mechanisms, which has a planned operational lifetime of 13 years.

Source: OHB
Associated URL: https://www.ohb.de/en/news/ohb-wins-eur-248-million-contract-for-satellite-constellation-to-monitor-the-arctic