On June 22, 2026, Rocket Lab launched a small satellite from New Zealand as part of a military exercise aimed at testing the US Space Force's rapid response capabilities in low-Earth orbit. The launch was not widely publicized, with the only advance notice being a warning for pilots and sailors to avoid the rocket's flight path. Rocket Lab did not provide a livestream of the event, and as of June 26, officials from Rocket Lab and the Space Force had not made any official statements regarding the launch. The US military's catalog of space objects was updated to include the new satellite, named Victus Haze Puma, which was launched from Rocket Lab's spaceport at Māhia Peninsula. The satellite is now cataloged in a polar orbit at an altitude between 215 miles and 286 miles (347-by-461 km) with an inclination of approximately 97.5 degrees from the equator.
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US Military Conducts Space Exercise with Satellite Launch
Rocket Lab successfully launched a satellite for the US Space Force on June 22, 2026, as part of a military exercise to test crisis response capabilities in low-Earth orbit. The launch was minimally publicized, and officials had not commented on it as of June 26. The satellite, named Victus Haze Puma, is now included in the military's catalog of space objects.
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A US military exercise in space got underway with barely anyone noticing
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US Military Conducts Space Exercise with Satellite Launch