Rocket Lab Stock Is Shooting Higher Thursday: What's Fueling The Launch?

Adam Eckert

April 24, 2025

Rocket Lab USA Inc (NASDAQ:RKLB) shares are trading higher Thursday after the company announced it was selected by Kratos Defense & Security Solutions Inc (NASDAQ:KTOS) to provide a hypersonic test flight for the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD).

What To Know: Rocket Lab was awarded a new Hypersonic Accelerator Suborbital Test Electron (HASTE) launch contract for the DOD by Kratos under the Multi-Service Advanced Capability Hypersonic Test Bed (MACH-TB) 2.0 program.

The launch agreement represents the first full-scale flight test to be awarded by Kratos under the MACH-TB 2.0 contract, which is a $1.45 billion program designed to quickly expand opportunities to test hypersonic technologies.

“In less than two years since its first launch, HASTE has quickly emerged as a leading commercial test platform of hypersonic systems. With our operational speed and cadence, and the ability to serve multiple mission profiles all in one platform, HASTE is helping to move the needle on hypersonic innovation,” said Peter Beck, founder and CEO of Rocket Lab.

“I’m confident this will be the first of many new opportunities to serve the nation through the MACH-TB program, and we’re proud to be working alongside Kratos to bring this test flight to the launch pad on a rapid timeline.”

Check This Out: Jeff Bezos Space Internet Ambitions Falter As Amazon’s Project Kuiper Struggles To Increase Satellite Production Amid Launch Delays

The news comes after Rocket Lab’s HASTE was selected to support hypersonic test launches as part of two major government defense initiatives in the U.S. and U.K. earlier this month.

The U.S. Air Force selected Rocket Lab to participate in its $46 billion Enterprise-Wide Agile Acquisition contract, which runs through 2031 and aims to accelerate the procurement of innovative technologies, engineering services and technical solutions.

The U.K.’s Ministry of Defence also selected Rocket Lab under a $1.3 billion framework aimed at accelerating the development of advanced hypersonic capabilities.

Rocket Lab is scheduled to report earnings results for the first quarter after the market close on May 8. Analysts are anticipating a loss of 12 cents per share and revenue of $121.49 million, according to estimates from Benzinga Pro.

RKLB Price Action: Rocket Lab shares were up 6.63% at $21.63 at the time of publication Thursday, according to Benzinga Pro.

Read Next:

SpaceX, Palantir ‘Frontrunners’ In Bid To Build Donald Trump’s Golden Dome: Report

Photo: courtesy of Rocket Lab.

Recommended

Jan 26: The Day Elon Changes Everything - Ad

The Market Just Crossed a Dangerous Line - Ad

Weiss Gold Veteran Makes Shocking New Call - Ad

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) slammed the Republican Party for abandoning the fiscal discipline it once championed, while accusing his colleagues of embracing massive governmental deficits and greenlighting spending levels they previously opposed.

Cathie Wood Dumps $11.6 Million Worth Of Tesla Stock: Here Is What Ark Purchased Instead

On Wednesday, Cathie Wood-led Ark Invest made significant trades involving Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA), Coinbase Global Inc.

A Worldwide Gold Lockdown Is Now Underway

A Worldwide Gold Lockdown Is Now Underway - Ad

Gold is being stockpiled worldwide - banks, nations, billionaires. This isn't "just gold." A detailed plan could impact savings, investments and even mortgages. The free broadcast breaks it down and shows what to do before it's too late.

These 8 Democrats voted with Republicans on the government shutdown deal. Here's how they explain it

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Democratic senators — eight in total — faced almost instant blowback from members of their own party as to allow the Senate to move forward on that would reopen the government.

16 Stocks To Buy If You Want To Escape The AI Hype

Bank of America is pointing investors toward 16 overlooked stocks with strong fundamentals and no direct ties to the AI boom—offering a safer path beyond the hype.

Better Than Bitcoin? (Top Crypto for Less Than $1)

Better Than Bitcoin? (Top Crypto for Less Than $1) - Ad

Over the past 15 years, Bitcoin has outperformed stocks, bonds, and every other asset you could've bought. 2025 is already shaping up to be another banner year, with Bitcoin recently hitting a new all-time high. But there's a better way to profit from this new crypto rally. Most people don't know about it... and yet it's returned over 1,000% in 4 months. This could be the #1 way to invest in crypto right now.

Coreweave, Rocket Lab, AST Spacemobile, Rigetti And Bigbear.Ai: Why These 5 Stocks Are On Investors' Radars Today

Major U.S. indexes closed higher on Monday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbing 0.8% to 47,368.63.

JPMorgan Forecasts Bitcoin Bottom, Anticipates $28.3 Trillion Challenge To Gold By 2026

Analysts at JPMorgan have pinpointed the lowest point of the ongoing Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) price fall and also projected a substantial chall

Investing Legend Hints the End May Be Near for These 3 Iconic Stocks

Investing Legend Hints the End May Be Near for These 3 Iconic Stocks - Ad

Futurist Eric Fry say Amazon, Tesla and Nvidia are all on the verge of major disruption. To help protect anyone with money invested in them, he's sharing three exciting stocks to replace them with. He gives away the names and tickers completely free in his brand-new "Sell This, Buy That" broadcast.

AT&T reached a $177M data breach settlement. What consumers should know about claiming their money

NEW YORK (AP) — AT&T has reached a combined $177 million settlement over two . And impacted consumers have a little over a month left to file a claim for their chunk of the money.

Japan's SoftBank says it has sold its shares in Nvidia for $5.8 billion

TOKYO (AP) — Japanese technology company SoftBank Group Corp. said Tuesday that it has sold all the Nvidia Corp. shares that it owned for $5.83 billion, while it reported higher than expected profit in the first half of this fiscal year.

Trump Just Signed s.1582 Into Law - Now the Countdown Begins...

Trump Just Signed s.1582 Into Law - Now the Countdown Begins... - Ad

A quiet shift in U.S. law has just authorized private companies to mint a new form of government-authorized money called the "Dollar 2.0"... and the next major mint hits on December 18. Investors who make the right moves before then could make up to 40X by 2032...

Airbus Orders Emergency Recall Of 6,000 A320 Jets After JetBlue Incident, Triggering Global Flight Delays And Holiday Travel Chaos

Airbus SE (OTC: EADSF) ordered immediate repairs to A320-family aircraft on Friday, recalling 6,000 jets after a recent JetBlue incident.

Veterans Day: What's open, what's closed

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Veterans Day holiday began more than a century ago, albeit under a different name, as a celebration of the end of World War I. Over time its name and purpose evolved into a day of recognition for of as well as those currently serving in uniform.

Trump Triggered 70% Gains Overnight -- This Rare Earths Stock Could Be Next

Trump Triggered 70% Gains Overnight -- This Rare Earths Stock Could Be Next - Ad

Trump's turning tiny mining stocks into overnight fortunes... and this little-known rare earths miner could be his next billion-dollar BUY. If Trump cuts a deal you could see a 50% to 200% pop overnight. But you must act before the next deal hits the wire.

Space forecasters say severe solar storms could hit Earth and trigger auroras

NEW YORK (AP) — Space weather forecasters issued an alert on Tuesday for incoming severe that could produce and temporarily disrupt communications.

Michael Burry Not Alone: Peter Andersen Dumped Nvidia Months Ago, Anticipating 'Accounting Questions'

Michael Burry isn't alone: Peter Andersen dumped Nvidia months ago, citing "accounting questions" and calling the AI boom a "fantasy."

Elon's $25 Trillion Confession

Elon's $25 Trillion Confession - Ad

Elon Musk: "Tesla will become a $25 trillion company." That would make Tesla 8x bigger than Apple today. How is that possible? He admits it's all thanks to this one AI breakthrough that will take AI out of our computer screens and manifest a 250x boom here in the real world.

Robinhood, Beyond Meat, Tilray Brands, ASML And SMX (Security Matters): Why These 5 Stocks Are On Investors' Radars Today

HOOD, BYND, TLRY, ASML, SMX were among the stocks seen trending among investors on Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025.

Amazon's $150 Billion AI Capex Surge Could Force Its First Big Bond Deal In Years

Amazon may need to tap Wall Street for funds as it faces rising AI and data center spending, despite sitting on $84 billion in cash.

Legally "Skim" $6,361 Into Your Account?

Legally "Skim" $6,361 Into Your Account? - Ad

A former hedge fund manager is now sharing his "Skim Codes" with regular people. They're not stocks. They're not crypto. They're 18-character codes designed to profit from recent market conditions. All you have to do is punch them into an ordinary brokerage account. 84% of these codes have given people the chance to generate cash payouts so far... and his next code is going out any day now.

Silver Soars To Record Highs: It's Up 95% In 2025, The Best Year Since 1979

Silver prices surge over 5% as investors rush to secure metal amid tight supplies and global shortage concerns, driving up stocks and mining equities.

China announces restrictions on chemicals after deal with Trump on fentanyl tariffs

WASHINGTON (AP) — China said Monday it is making good on its pledge to crack down on chemicals that can be used to make fentanyl, a key issue for President during recent talks with Chinese leader as they aimed to .

Jan 26: The Day Elon Changes Everything

Jan 26: The Day Elon Changes Everything - Ad

Mark your calendar: January 26, 2025. That's the date I believe Elon Musk could finally unveil his Optimus robot - the same project he says will be "the biggest product ever of any kind." If Elon is right, this could be a $30 trillion tipping point...And regular investors have a rare window to move before the switch flips.

DOJ Greenlights Strikes on Drug Boats, Citing Fentanyl as Potential Chemical Weapon

The DOJ has classified Fentanyl as a potential chemical weapon. This classification has led to the authorization of strikes on drug-smuggling boats.

Apple Beats Earnings, $1 Billion Google AI Deal, Budget Mac And More: This Week In Appleverse

Apple had a busy week with earnings beats, AI partnerships, new product plans, and reflections on Steve Jobs' legacy.

The Market Just Crossed a Dangerous Line

The Market Just Crossed a Dangerous Line - Ad

The man who predicted the 2008 crash and 2020 says today's soaring markets are NOT a bubble - they're something far stranger and more dangerous. He says it's about to change everything you know about money.

What's Going On With Home Depot Shares Monday?

Home Depot, Inc. (NYSE:HD) shares are bouncing around Monday ahead of earnings later this week. Here's what you need to know.

Leaked Documents Unveil Meta's $16 Billion Revenue Projection From Scam Ads

Leaked internal documents have revealed that Meta projected a revenue of approximately $16 billion from scam advertisements and banned goods in 2024.

Weiss Gold Veteran Makes Shocking New Call

Weiss Gold Veteran Makes Shocking New Call - Ad

Weiss expert Sean Brodrick went out on a limb last year and declared a historic event would send the yellow metal to $3,150. People laughed at him at the time, but he was off by just two days. Now, Sean has a shocking new prediction for gold ... and reveals a little-known way to get ahead of this bull market.

Quantum Computer That Could 'Hack Everyone's Crypto': Why Eric Jackson Is Betting On BTQ Technologies As His Next 100-Bagger

Eric Jackson names BTQ his next 100-bagger, betting it can stop quantum computers from "hacking everyone's crypto."

Dogecoin Cheers Debut Of ETF That Aims To Multiply Its Returns: 'Much Congrats'

Dogecoin (CRYPTO: DOGE) cheered the launch of a new exchange-traded fund on Wall Street on Thursday that aims to provide leveraged exposure to the popular meme coin

A Worldwide Gold Lockdown Is Now Underway

A Worldwide Gold Lockdown Is Now Underway - Ad

Nokia Secures Multi-Year Pact To Power Telecom Italia's 5G Expansion

Nokia (NYSE: NOK) secures 3-year deal with Telecom Italia (OTC: TIIAY) to expand 5G coverage in Italy using latest equipment.

S&P Calls Tether 'Weak' — Meanwhile It's Buying More Gold Than Central Banks

Tether (CRYPTO: USDT) just got slapped with the lowest possible stability score from S&P G

Better Than Bitcoin? (Top Crypto for Less Than $1)

Better Than Bitcoin? (Top Crypto for Less Than $1) - Ad

What's Up With The Jump In Oracle Stock Today?

Oracle Corp (NASDAQ:ORCL) shares are trading higher on Wednesday following an analyst update. Here's a look at what's going on.

US Debt Of $38 Trillion Now A 'National Security Crisis,' Warns Top Economist, Another Blames Political Polarization: 'Neither Party Is…'

Richard Haass, the president of the Council on Foreign Relations, and other economists have sounded the alarm about the U.S. national debt, stating that it poses a significant threat to the country's security and global standing.

Investing Legend Hints the End May Be Near for These 3 Iconic Stocks

Investing Legend Hints the End May Be Near for These 3 Iconic Stocks - Ad

$76 Million Worth of Shiba Inu Tokens Locked Into Derivatives Market Amid Rising Activity

Traders of Shiba Inu (CRYPTO: SHIB) have locked a staggering 7.38 trillion SHIB tokens into the derivatives market. This move has triggered a price surge and a renewed wave of optimism among the SHIB community.

Trending Now