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U.S. Defense Innovation Unit

US

The U.S. Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), also referred to as Unit X, is a Department of Defense (DoD) organization that aims to accelerate the U.S. military's adoption of commercial technology. DIU partners with commercial companies to rapidly prototype and field dual-use capabilities, addressing national security challenges across areas like AI, autonomy, cyber, and space. Key activities include scouting cutting-edge technologies, streamlining contracting, and fostering collaboration between the DoD and the commercial technology sector.

gov defenseFounded 2015
Mountain View, California, United States
www.diu.mil
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All verified mentions of this organization in source documents.

The "That's Not A Knife" mission constituted the Defense Innovation Unit's second hypersonic test in approximately three months.

PlanValue 3.0Mar 2, 2026DIU testa l’ipersonico: secondo lancio in 3 mesi

Rocket Lab launched the "That's Not A Knife" mission for the Defense Innovation Unit and Hypersonix using its HASTE vehicle.

RelationshipsCapabilityValue 4.6Mar 2, 2026DIU testa l’ipersonico: secondo lancio in 3 mesi

Rocket Lab, the Defense Innovation Unit, and Hypersonix collaborated on the HASTE hypersonic test campaign.

RelationshipsGeneralValue 4.0Mar 2, 2026DIU testa l’ipersonico: secondo lancio in 3 mesi

Launch details identify the Defense Innovation Unit and Hypersonix as the customers for the Cassowary Vex flight.

RelationshipsValue 4.0Mar 1, 2026Australian hypersonic test flight window announced

HASTE carried the "That's Not A Knife" mission for the Defense Innovation Unit and Hypersonix.

RelationshipsGeneralValue 4.0Feb 28, 2026After a few delays and holds, Rocket Lab successfully launched Hypersonix' DART-AE last night aboard HASTE! Rocket Lab's next launch is scheduled for NET March 4th per hazard area's. The trajectory matches with those flown on launches for Synspective, iQPS, and BlackSky.

The DART-AE mission was the Defense Innovation Unit's second hypersonic test in approximately three months.

GeneralValue 3.0Feb 28, 2026After a few delays and holds, Rocket Lab successfully launched Hypersonix' DART-AE last night aboard HASTE! Rocket Lab's next launch is scheduled for NET March 4th per hazard area's. The trajectory matches with those flown on launches for Synspective, iQPS, and BlackSky.

The HASTE mission "That's Not A Knife" is a collaboration with the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and Hypersonix Australia.

RelationshipsGeneralValue 4.0Feb 26, 2026RT by @GewoonLukas_: Launch update 🚀 Our next HASTE launch attempt from LC-2 for "That's Not A Knife" with @DIU_x and @HypersonixAU has been scheduled for tomorrow, Friday February 27. Liftoff set for no earlier than: 🚀4:00 p.m. ET 🚀1:00 p.m. PT 🚀21:00 UTC pic.

The HASTE mission is a hypersonic test mission for the U.S. Defense Innovation Unit and Hypersonix Australia.

GeneralRelationshipsValue 3.5Feb 25, 2026Rocket Lab is GO for their first HASTE launch of the year, which will be the 'That's Not A Knife" or "Cassowary Vex" mission set to launch later tonight at 21:00 UTC! Inside the comically 4.3-meter long fairing will be the 3.5-meter DART-AE scramjet demonstrator from Hypersonix.

The HASTE test flight is for the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and Hypersonix to launch the DART-AE aircraft to hypersonic speeds.

PlanRelationshipsValue 4.0Feb 25, 2026RT by @GewoonLukas_: Operations are underway for our latest HASTE hypersonic test flight from LC-2 - this time for @DIU_x and @HypersonixAU to launch their DART-AE aircraft to hypersonic speeds. 'That's Not A Knife' is scheduled to launch NET: 🚀4:00 pm EST 🚀1:00 pm PST 🚀21:00 UTC

Rocket Lab will launch the hypersonic test mission 'That's Not A Knife' on HASTE for the Defense Innovation Unit and Hypersonix Australia.

PlanRelationshipsValue 4.0Feb 24, 2026RT @RocketLab: We are GO to launch our hypersonic test mission on HASTE for the @DIU_x and @HypersonixAU. "That's Not A Knife" is schedule…

The Defense Innovation Unit and Hypersonix Australia are the intended partners or customers for the HASTE hypersonic test mission.

RelationshipsGeneralValue 4.0Feb 24, 2026RT @RocketLab: We are GO to launch our hypersonic test mission on HASTE for the @DIU_x and @HypersonixAU. "That's Not A Knife" is schedule…

The HASTE mission is named "That's Not A Knife" and is for the Defense Innovation Unit and the Australian company Hypersonix.

GeneralRelationshipsValue 3.5Feb 24, 2026Rocket Lab prosegue i preparativi del lancio HASTE a Wallops

The Defense Innovation Unit is a Pentagon organization created to help transfer commercially developed technologies to operational military use.

GeneralLegalValue 2.0Feb 20, 2026El Pentágono prueba una nueva forma de adquirir satélites espías GEO

The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) issued a solicitation titled "Reconocimiento táctico espacial óptico de alta resolución geoestacionario" (High-Resolution Geostationary Optical Tactical Space Reconnaissance).

LegalGeneralValue 2.0Feb 20, 2026El Pentágono prueba una nueva forma de adquirir satélites espías GEO

Rocket Lab will launch a hypersonic vehicle as the next payload on a dedicated mission for the Department of War’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU).

PlanRelationshipsValue 4.0Feb 19, 2026Hypersonic Test Mission for Defense Innovation Unit to Launch from Virginia

Stoke’s technology programs have received support from the U.S. Space Force, the Defense Innovation Unit, NASA, and the National Science Foundation.

GeneralCapabilityGovernanceValue 3.0Feb 13, 2026Stoke Space expands Series D funding to $860M to drive Nova launch development

A Defense Innovation Unit solicitation exists for technologies to de-orbit unprepared satellites.

LegalCapabilityValue 3.0Feb 12, 2026The Hybrid Architecture Is No Longer Theoretical

The HASTE mission is for the Defense Innovation Unit to deploy a scramjet-powered aircraft by Hypersonix.

PlanRelationshipsCapabilityValue 4.0Feb 12, 2026Rocket Lab announced their next mission! This will be a suborbital HASTE launch named "That's Not A Knife". Inside the comically long fairing will be Hypersonix' DART-AE, a hydrogen-fueled scramjet technology demonstrator. Hazard area's indicate launch is NET Feb. 23 at 20:00 UTC

Spacetime has been experimentally used with organizations such as the Defense Innovation Unit, the U.S. Space Force, NASA, and commercial satellite operators.

RelationshipsCapabilityValue 2.6Jan 28, 2026Aalyria spacetime platform tapped for AFRL space data network trials

The work on Sakura II was conducted with support from the US Defense Innovation Unit.

RelationshipsValue 2.5Jan 14, 2026NASA heavy ion tests confirm Sakura II AI chip for orbital and lunar use
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