- The U.S. Space Force reported a milestone in its Victus Haze Tactically Responsive Space mission with the successful launch of Rocket Lab’s Electron space vehicle
- Rocket Lab said it broke the record for responsive space access with 16 hours and 42 minutes liftoff after USSF notice-to-launch
- Electron will rendezvous with True Anomaly’s Jackal rocket already in-orbit
The U.S. Space Force announced Monday that Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket had a successful liftoff as part of the Space Systems Command’s Victus Haze Tactically Responsive Space mission.
Rocket Lab said the launch beat the Victus Nox TacRS responsive space record by over 10 hours when it lifted off 16 hours and 42 minutes after the Space Force gave its notice to launch.
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What Is the Victus Haze TacRS Mission?
The Space Force created the Victus Haze mission in an aim to demonstrate the agency’s ability to respond to on-orbit threats with the rapid launch and operation of space vehicles. It is led by the SSC Space Safari Program Office and the Defense Innovation Unit. In 2024, The agency tasked the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory to build an advanced optical payload to be carried by Rocket Lab’s vehicle. Other partners in the mission are True Anomaly, which was also chosen to launch its own spacecraft, SpaceWERKS as True Anomaly’s collaborator, and the SSC System Delta 85. System Delta 85 oversees the Space Domain Awareness Tools, Application, and Processing Lab.
What’s Next for the Victus Haze Mission?
Electron, which was the second rocket to be launched in the mission, reached low-Earth orbit and is expected to meet with True Anomaly’s space vehicle, Jackal. Jackal took off into orbit on May 3, 2026 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The Victus Haze team will proceed to vehicle commissioning and space domain awareness testing and demonstrations.
