Is Increased Focus on Hypersonic Tech Opening New Doors for Rocket Lab?
In recent years, the rapid development and adoption of hypersonic technology across industries, from aerospace and defense to space exploration, have opened new growth avenues for Rocket Lab USA RKLB, a key player in hypersonic testing with its HASTE launch system. With commercial firms and government agencies ramping up investments in advanced hypersonic systems to bolster space access and national security, RKLB remains well-positioned to capitalize on this accelerating technological shift.
Notably, Rocket Lab's HAEST (Hypersonic accelerator suborbital test electron) is a suborbital testbed launch vehicle that provides reliable, high-cadence flight test opportunities needed to boost hypersonic and suborbital system technology development.
In April 2025, Rocket Lab secured a contract from Kratos Defense to conduct a full-scale hypersonic test flight for the U.S. Department of Defense.
Additionally, RKLB's HASTE platform has been included in two major defense frameworks — the $46 billion Enterprise-Wide Agile Acquisition Contract with the U.S. Air Force and the UK Ministry of Defence's £1 billion ($1.3 billion) Hypersonic Technologies & Capability Development Framework. These programs allow Rocket Lab to compete for launch and engineering services in advancing hypersonic technologies.
The inclusion across both U.S. and UK initiatives underscores the growing demand for HASTE in defense testing and is likely to significantly boost Rocket Lab's future revenue stream.
While HASTE has not yet won any purely commercial contract, its demonstrated reliability and cadence in the defense sector may soon open doors to non-defense payload opportunities.
Other Stocks Focusing on Hypersonic
As increased investment in hypersonic technology has become a global trend lately, with nations like the United States, the United Kingdom, and China significantly boosting funding for research and development in this tech, other stocks like Lockheed Martin LMT and RTX Corp. RTX are also indulging in advanced hypersonic technology developments.
Notably, Lockheed Martin has been developing highly advanced hypersonic technology for the past 60 years. To this end, the company is currently working in partnership with DARPA, the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Army, and the U.S. Navy to transition hypersonic concepts to operational reality. LMT's Conventional Prompt Strike is a hypersonic boost-glide missile currently under development, which boasts the capability to provide longer range, shorter flight times, and high survivability against enemy defenses.
On the other hand, RTX is working across its business and domains to move advanced hypersonic capabilities from creation to testing and into the hands of warfighters at top speed. RTX is currently involved in the design of the Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile, which leverages Northrop Grumman's scramjet propulsion to travel at more than five times the speed of sound and cover vast distances in minutes. The U.S. Air Force currently expects this missile to be operational by fiscal 2027.
The Zacks Rundown for RKLB
Shares of RKLB have surged 467.2% in the past year compared with the industry 's 40.9% growth.
The company's shares are trading at a premium on a relative basis, with its forward 12-month Price/Sales being 17.85X compared with its industry's average of 9.65X.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for RKLB's 2025 and 2026 earnings has improved over the past 60 days.
RKLB currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
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