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U.S. Defense Innovation Unit

US
gov defenseFounded 2015
United States
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All verified mentions of this organization in source documents.

Antares has secured contracts with the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Space Force, the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), and NASA to advance technology maturation and demonstration.

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Innovation UnitNarrative GeneralDec 12, 2025Antares lines up $96 million to advance microreactor rollout

In April, DIU selected Antares under the Advanced Nuclear Power for Installations program to supply nuclear power to Department of War installations.

Mentioned as: DIUOrg RelationshipDec 12, 2025Antares lines up $96 million to advance microreactor rollout

The first launch was a HASTE suborbital hypersonic technology test flight from Wallops Island, Virginia for the Defense Innovation Unit and Missile Defense Agency.

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Innovation UnitNarrative GeneralNov 20, 2025Latest News

The Prometheus Run mission is associated with the U.S. Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and the Missile Defense Agency (MDA).

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Innovation UnitNarrative GeneralNov 20, 2025ロケットラボ、米軍向けに極超音速試験機「HASTE」の試験飛行–ミサイル防衛技術をテスト

Rocket Lab successfully launched a suborbital mission with its HASTE launch vehicle for the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and Missile Defense Agency (MDA) on November 18, 2025.

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Innovation UnitNarrative GeneralNov 18, 2025Rocket Lab’s successful launch of HASTE Mission for Defense Innovation Unit, Missile Defense Agency

The launch was conducted for the Defense Innovation Unit and the Missile Defense Agency to test advanced technologies for missile defense.

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Innovation UnitNarrative GeneralNov 18, 2025RT by @GewoonLukas_: MISSION SUCCESS! We've completed another HASTE launch from Launch Complex 2 today, this time for @DIU_x and Missile Defense Agency to test advanced technologies for missile defense. HASTE is an important platform for accelerating hypersonic technology readiness for the nation and we’re proud to have delivered this mission - our 6th HASTE launch overall. LEARN MORE: https://bit.ly/4r5FK0J

The HASTE mission was contracted through DIU's Hypersonic and High-Cadence Airborne Testing Capabilities (HyCAT) program.

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Innovation UnitNarrative GeneralNov 18, 2025Rocket Lab’s successful launch of HASTE Mission for Defense Innovation Unit, Missile Defense Agency

Proceeds from the investment round will fund a NASA-backed test flight of the DART AE vehicle powered by SPARTAN under the US Department of Defense HyCAT program via the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU).

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Innovation UnitNarrative PlanOct 29, 2025Australian company Hypersonix secures major defence and aerospace investment for green hydrogen hypersonic flight

Aalyria has demonstrated its Spacetime orchestration software platform to the U.S. government as part of the Defense Innovation Unit’s Hybrid Space Architecture.

Mentioned as: Defense Innovation UnitOrg RelationshipOct 28, 2025Latest News

Fenix Space’s U.S. Department of War customers include the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), Space Development Agency (SDA), and National Security Innovation Capital (NSIC).

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Innovation UnitNarrative GeneralSep 18, 2025Alaska Capital invests $30 million in Fenix Space Inc. to advance next generation launch capabilities

The Department of Defense's Defense Innovation Unit will provide $5 million in funding to NUVIEW for the development of LiDAR equipment for satellites through the National Security Innovation Capital initiative.

Mentioned as: Defense Innovation UnitOrg RelationshipSep 4, 20259/4宇宙ニュース・米国防総省、衛星用ライダー開発でNUVIEWに約7億円の資金を提供 ほか3件

On 2024-12-18, Viasat was selected by the Defense Innovation Unit to deliver networking capability in support of the Replicator initiative to provide highly resilient command and control connectivity across unmanned systems.

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Innovation UnitOrg RelationshipDec 18, 2024Viasat Selected by Defense Innovation Unit to Deliver Resilient Network Orchestration Software for Replicator Autonomous Systems

Under the DIU ORIENT project award, Viasat will provide a Multi-Domain Uncrewed Secure Integrated Communications (MUSIC) architecture with software-defined networking as the network component to enable seamless and resilient connectivity of autonomous systems using multi-transport pathways.

Mentioned as: DIUOrg RelationshipDec 18, 2024Viasat Selected by Defense Innovation Unit to Deliver Resilient Network Orchestration Software for Replicator Autonomous Systems

The March 2024 prototype weather satellite was launched in partnership with the U.S. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center and the Defense Innovation Unit.

Mentioned as: defense innovation unitTechnical ProductDec 5, 2024Muon Space climate-monitoring satellites eyed for military applications

Impulse Space received a $34,500,000 contract from the U.S. Space Force’s Space Safari office and the Defense Innovation Unit to support Victus Surgo and another TacRS mission.

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Innovation UnitOrg RelationshipNov 17, 2024Space Force taps OpTech for $4.5 million optical sensor payload

On the mid-2026 mission, Helios will transport Impulse Space’s smaller Mira vehicle, carrying a commercial optical payload, from low Earth orbit to geostationary transfer orbit on the Victus Surgo mission for the Space Force and the Defense Innovation Unit.

Mentioned as: Defense Innovation UnitTechnical ProductNov 15, 2024Impulse Space buys three Falcon 9 launches

The initial funded value of the DIU award is about $2,000,000 and covers the first phase and part of the second phase of a four-phase contract.

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Innovation UnitNarrative FinancialOct 25, 2024Astra wins DIU contract to support Rocket 4 development

Astra won a contract from the Defense Innovation Unit worth up to $44,000,000 to support development of its Rocket 4 launch vehicle.

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Innovation UnitOrg RelationshipOct 25, 2024Astra wins DIU contract to support Rocket 4 development

Astra plans to raise about $50,000,000 in a new funding round in addition to the DIU contract.

Mentioned as: U.S. Defense Innovation UnitNarrative PlanOct 25, 2024Astra wins DIU contract to support Rocket 4 development

The DIU contract will fund work on industrialization of Astra’s production facilities and other aspects of Rocket 4 development.

Mentioned as: DIUTechnical ProductOct 25, 2024Astra wins DIU contract to support Rocket 4 development
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