The U.S. Space Force assigned 21 rocket launches to SpaceX and United Launch Alliance, worth about $2.5 billion in total, the military branch told CNBC. Space Force’s Space Systems Command on Tuesday announced the mission assignments, which represent the last round of orders under a multiyear program called National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 2. The final batch of assignments were split almost evenly, according to Col. Doug Pentecost, the deputy program executive officer of the Space Force’s Space Systems Command. ULA received 11 missions, valued at $1.3 billion, and SpaceX received 10 missions, valued at $1.23 billion. Space Systems Command said the missions are scheduled to launch over the next two to three years. ULA, a joint venture of Boeing and Lockheed Martin, will use its soon-to-debut Vulcan rocket for the 11 missions, while SpaceX will fly seven missions with its Falcon 9 rocket and three missions with its Falcon Heavy rocket. Space Force expanded the NSSL Phase 2 program significantly since naming SpaceX and ULA as its two launch providers in 2020. Originally, Phase 2 was to consist of 34 missions. Space Force had previously announced that of mission assignments, 60% would go to ULA and 40% to SpaceX. But increased demand for national security launches grew Phase 2, and Space Force has assigned 48 missions over the course of the program. In the end, Phase 2 was closer to an even split, with Elon Musk’s company receiving contracts for 22 missions to ULA’s 26 missions, or a 46% share to 54%.
Full story : Space Force awards $2.5 billion in rocket contracts to SpaceX and ULA for 21 launches.
