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Rocket Lab and True Anomaly will essay to deliver and engage space hardware for the armed forces under intentionally tight sentence frames , as part of the Space Force ’s push to beg “ tactically antiphonal ” space capabilities from commercial caller .
Each companionship will design and make a satellite adequate to of rendezvous with other spacecraft in field at close proximity , as well as command and command centers for the commission . As part of Rocket Lab ’s $ 32 million contract bridge , it will also set up the satellite with its Electron rocket . True Anomaly will partner with an nameless “ sure commercial-grade launch supplier ” for its ride under its own $ 30 million contract , according to a instruction .
Notably , True Anomaly enjoin it would also “ leverage $ 30 million of internal secret capital ” for the missionary post , so it will spend a combined $ 60 million to stand up its Jackal for this contract .
The mark for space vehicle delivery under the contract , called Victus Haze , is fall 2025 . Once the ballistic capsule have been built , the two companies will enter sequential phases , include a “ red-hot standby ” stage where they must essentially remain quick to respond to the Department of Defense ’s poster to manifest the satellite and launching . Once in orbit , Rocket Lab and True Anomaly must rapidly commission and ready their ballistic capsule for cognitive operation — with each other .
If all go to programme , Rocket Lab ’s Pioneer satellite will conduct the so - promise rendezvous and proximity operation with True Anomaly ’s Jackal spacecraft .
The new contracts are similar to those award to Firefly and Millennium Space in 2022 , which run into Millennium deliver the orbiter for launch by Firefly . That mission , call in Victus Nox , was executed last September . Under that military mission , the two companies had to mix the freight and ready the rocket in less than 58 hours ; then , Firefly was given just 24 hour to found .
While exact timelines for the Victus Haze delegacy were not disclose by either Rocket Lab or True Anomaly , the former party did say in a argument that the mission “ will improve … physical process and timelines . ”
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The new mission also include a fistful of additional , ambitious requirements , like on - orbit space vehicle maneuvering , which is mean to simulate a existent - life rendezvous with an adversary satellite .
“ We recognize the significant chance to leverage the commercial space industry ’s introduction to foresee China as America ’s tempo menace , ” Space Systems Command program executive military officer Col . Bryon McClain said in a assertion . “ The United States has the most innovative space industry in the world . Victus Haze will demonstrate , under operationally realistic condition , our power to respond to irresponsible behavior on orbit . ”
