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SpaceX Lands Major Launch Contracts from U.S. Space Force
Company awarded $733.6 million to launch nine satellites for NSSL Phase 3 Lane 1 missions
SpaceX has secured two significant launch contracts from the U.S. Space Force's Space Systems Command (SSC) under the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 3 Lane 1 program. These Launch Service Task Orders (LSTOs) contracts, valued at a combined $733.6 million, are the first of their kind to be awarded under the new $5.6 billion IDIQ contract established in June 2024.
The first task order will support the launch of seven Space Vehicles (SVs) for the Tranche 2 Transport Layer satellite constellation (designated T2TL-Dthrough J), developed by the Space Development Agency (SDA). These launches will take place between 2025 and 2026, with three launching from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and four from Vandenberg Space Force Base.
The second task order will support an NRO mission set that will be launched into orbit in 2025 and 2026. All SpaceX launches will be conducted from Vandenberg Space Force Base.
"The Phase 3 Lane 1 construct allows us to execute launch services more quickly for the more risk-tolerant payloads, putting more capabilities on orbit faster in order to support National Security, " said Brig. Gen. Kristin Panzenhagen, program executive officer for Assured Access to Space.
The NSSL Phase 3 Lane 1 program is designed to provide the U.S. Space Force with a more flexible and efficient way to procure launch services. The program allows for a more streamlined process from mission acquisition to launch, which will help to ensure that critical national security missions are completed on time.
The Transport Layer, much like the Tracking Layer, is being built in tranches starting with 0 with launch beginning in 2023. There are currently five prime manufacturers of Transport Layer satellites, Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, York, Rocket Lab and Terran Orbital (Tyvak). The current awards go out to Tranche 2 with the Space Development Agency issuing a Request for Information for the third tranche of this system. These satellite tranches will be deployed in approximate two year intervals.
The Launch Service Providers (LSPs) - United Launch Services, SpaceX, and Blue Origin - will have another chance to join the NSSL Phase 3 Lane 1 IDIQ contract later this year. This will be followed by several more Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for launch services in the third quarter of Fiscal Year 2025.
The Phase 3 Lane 1 contract has a five-year base period, running from Fiscal Year 2025 to 2029. There's also a potential five-year option period after that. Over the initial five-year period, at least 30 NSSL Lane 1 missions will be competed between the three LSPs.