The Space Force is now seeking to buy up to $30B in rocket launches
6 hours ago
- The US Space Force tripled the maximum value of its National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 3 contract to $17 billion due to rising demand for military satellite launches.
- The NSSL program has two parts: Lane 1 for risk-tolerant missions (e.g., medium-lift launches, rideshare) open to commercial providers without extensive certification, and Lane 2 for high-priority strategic missions (e.g., spy satellites, nuclear-hardened comsats) requiring lengthy military certification.
- Only SpaceX's Falcon 9/Falcon Heavy and ULA's Vulcan are certified for Lane 2. Lane 1 qualified providers include SpaceX, ULA, Blue Origin, Rocket Lab, Stoke Space, Relativity Space, and Impulse Space.
- SpaceX has won most Lane 1 task orders to date, with Blue Origin winning its first in 2025.