Rocket Report: China may soon attempt booster landing; Rocket Lab does rapid response

Welcome to the latest edition of the Rocket Report! As we approach the midpoint of 2026, the anticipation surrounding the debut of several new US rockets is palpable. Among the contenders are Rocket Lab's Neutron, Stoke Space's Nova, Relativity Space's Terran R, and Astra's Rocket 4. However, the question remains: will any of these rockets actually take to the skies? My estimate is that there’s a slim chance—perhaps a 50% likelihood—that we’ll see at least one launch this year. In exciting news, Rocket Lab has successfully executed a rapid response mission, launching the Victus Haze mission just 16 hours and 42 minutes after receiving the US Space Force's Notice to Launch. This remarkable feat surpassed the previous record by over ten hours, showcasing Rocket Lab's agility and readiness. Interestingly, the launch was barely announced beforehand, with the only public notice being a warning for pilots and sailors to avoid the rocket's flight path. In a departure from their usual practice, Rocket Lab did not provide a livestream of this launch. This mission, which was announced by the Space Force in 2024, involved Rocket Lab and True Anomaly collaborating to build and launch two satellites into low-Earth orbit. The strategy was to deploy a small satellite from True Anomaly that mimicked a potential adversary's spacecraft. Meanwhile, Rocket Lab was prepared to launch its own satellite on short notice to inspect True Anomaly's craft once military officials issued the order. The primary goal of the Victus Haze mission is to demonstrate how military and commercial partnerships can rapidly respond to threats in orbit, enhancing national security capabilities.