Rocket Lab National Security LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Rocket Lab USA (Nasdaq: RKLB) (“Rocket Lab” or “the Company”), a global leader in launch services and space systems, today announced the successful completion of their Systems Integration Review (SIR) for the U.S. Space Force’s (USSF) VICTUS HAZE mission, part of Space Systems Command’s (SSC) Tactically Responsive Space (TacRS) program, led by Space Safari, in partnership with the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU).

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Rocket Lab engineers perform final integration work on the VICTUS HAZE spacecraft inside of the cleanroom at the Company’s Spacecraft Production Complex and Headquarters in Long Beach, California. Credit: Rocket Lab

The SIR was completed in May and marked a critical program milestone, confirming that all spacecraft components, systems, and software were ready for final integration and testing. The milestone followed Rocket Lab’s successful Critical Design Review earlier in the year, which validated the mission design and cleared the way for production. Following the SIR, Rocket Lab completed spacecraft integration, and the vehicle is now entering final testing just 15 months after contract award, underscoring Rocket Lab’s speed and efficiency.

Rocket Lab is the only provider delivering a complete, end-to-end mission solution to Space Safari. This includes satellite design, component manufacturing, satellite integration and testing, flight and ground software, mission and launch licensing, launch, commissioning, and on-orbit operations. Rocket Lab owns the entire mission lifecycle, simplifying program execution, reducing cost and schedule risk, and enabling rapid, responsive delivery.

“VICTUS HAZE is about more than responsive launch, it’s about ensuring the U.S. can act at the speed of need in a contested space domain,” said Brad Clevenger, President of Rocket Lab National Security. “With Rocket Lab’s flight-proven systems and fully integrated mission capability, we’re uniquely positioned to deliver the agility, speed, and reliability that national security demands.”

VICTUS HAZE will be a proving ground for how Rocket Lab can rapidly build, deploy, and operate spacecraft in response to emergent U.S. national security needs. The mission will demonstrate the ability to launch and conduct rendezvous and proximity operations on tactically relevant timelines, showcasing what’s possible when commercial innovation is applied to national defense priorities.

By leveraging commercial partners like Rocket Lab, the program supports broader USSF goals accelerating the transition from demonstration of responsive space concepts to fully operational national security capabilities.

Rocket Lab will complete final environmental testing and readiness milestones in the coming months.

+ About Rocket Lab

Founded in 2006, Rocket Lab is an end-to-end space company with an established track record of mission success. We deliver reliable launch services, satellite manufacture, spacecraft components, and on-orbit management solutions that make it faster, easier, and more affordable to access space. Headquartered in Long Beach, California, Rocket Lab designs and manufactures the Electron small orbital launch vehicle, a family of spacecraft platforms, and the Company is developing the large Neutron launch vehicle for constellation deployment. Since its first orbital launch in January 2018, Rocket Lab’s Electron launch vehicle has become the second most frequently launched U.S. rocket annually and has delivered more than 200 satellites to orbit for private and public sector organizations, enabling operations in national security, scientific research, space debris mitigation, Earth observation, climate monitoring, and communications. Rocket Lab’s spacecraft platforms have been selected to support NASA missions to the Moon and Mars, as well as the first private commercial mission to Venus. Rocket Lab has three launch pads at two launch sites, including two launch pads at a private orbital launch site located in New Zealand and a third launch pad in Virginia. To learn more, visit www.rocketlabcorp.com.

+ Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We intend such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward looking statements contained in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). All statements contained in this press release other than statements of historical fact, including, without limitation, statements regarding our launch and space systems operations, launch schedule and window, safe and repeatable access to space, Neutron development, operational expansion and business strategy are forward-looking statements. The words “believe,” “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “potential,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “expect,” “strategy,” “future,” “could,” “would,” “project,” “plan,” “target,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, though not all forward-looking statements use these words or expressions. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including but not limited to the factors, risks and uncertainties included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, as such factors may be updated from time to time in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), accessible on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov and the Investor Relations section of our website at www.rocketlabusa.com, which could cause our actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements made in this press release. Any such forward-looking statements represent management’s estimates as of the date of this press release. While we may elect to update such forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we disclaim any obligation to do so, even if subsequent events cause our views to change.

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“With Rocket Lab’s flight-proven systems and fully integrated mission capability, we’re uniquely positioned to deliver the agility, speed, and reliability that national security demands,” said Brad Clevenger, President of Rocket Lab National Security.