SpaceX has been awarded a $733 million contract by the US Space Force to launch eight national security missions. This contract, announced on Friday October 18, 2024, highlights the growing reliance on SpaceX for critical defense-related launches and positions the company at the forefront of the US military’s space strategy.
The $733 million contract is part of the U.S. Space Force’s National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 3 Lane 1 program, which seeks to secure reliable and efficient launch services for national security missions. The contract covers seven launches for the Space Development Agency (SDA) and one mission for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO).
All launches are scheduled to take place no earlier than 2026 and are expected to utilize SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket.
According to the US Space Force, the satellites that SpaceX will launch will play a key role in missile detection, communication, and intelligence gathering.
SpaceX was awarded this contract over other companies, including United Launch Alliance (ULA) and Blue Origin, although Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket has yet to be certified for national security launches due to the requirement of successful test flights.
