The United States Space Force awarded $2.5 billion in rocket launch contracts to SpaceX and United Launch Alliance (ULA), according to CNBC.
On Tuesday, the military branch's Space Systems Command announced the 21 mission assignments, which make up the last round of orders in the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 2 program.
Col. Doug Pentecost, deputy program executive officer of Space Systems Command, told CNBC that the assignments were split nearly evenly between SpaceX and ULA, with the former receiving 10 missions, valued at $1.23 billion, and the latter receiving 11 missions, valued at $1.3 billion.
ULA is a joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin.
The missions are reportedly set to launch over the next two to three years. Space Systems Command told CNBC that ULA will use its soon-to-be-released Vulcan rocket to fly all 11 missions, while SpaceX will use its Falcon 9 rocket for seven missions and its Falcon Heavy rocket for three missions.
Since naming SpaceX and ULA as its two launch providers in 2020, Space Force has greatly expanded the NSSL Phase 2 program. The program originally consisted of 34 missions, with 60% assigned to ULA and 40% assigned to SpaceX.
According to CNBC, Phase 2 grew to 48 missions out of increased demand for national security launches. Ultimately, the split for the mission contracts evened out, with SpaceX receiving 22 mission contracts, or 46%, to ULA's 26 mission contracts, or 54%.
In a statement, Pentecost said Space Force awarded more missions to SpaceX than initially expected "based on the Government assessment of readiness."
"It is imperative to rapidly deliver critical space capabilities to the Joint Warfighter as soon as they are ready to be launched — we cannot leave capability sitting on the ground," he told CNBC.
While SpaceX's Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets are both certified to fly national security launches and operational, ULA's Vulcan has yet to receive Space Force certification and launch.
The final assignments in Phase 2 come as the military agency prepares to buy an estimated 90 launches for Phase 3, kicking off the process earlier this year.
The review process for Phase 3 bids will begin soon, Pentecost told CNBC, with the winners expected to be announced in October 2024.
Nicole Wells ✉
Nicole Wells, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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