Elon Musk's SpaceX has secured a significant $733.6 million contract from the U.S. Space Force to execute at least nine national security launches.
What Happened: This contract, part of the National Security Space Launch Phase 3 Lane 1, includes seven missions for the Space Development Agency (SDA) and one for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO.)
Brig. Gen. Kristin Panzenhagen highlighted the necessity of rapid deployment of capabilities in the current geopolitical environment, stating, “In this era of Great Power Competition, it is imperative to not leave capability on the ground.”
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The Phase 3 Lane 1 construct is designed to accelerate launch services for risk-tolerant payloads, thereby enhancing national security.
“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,” Panzenhagen added.
The SDA task order will aid in the development of Tranche 2 of the Transport Layer, a satellite network providing global military data and connectivity.
SpaceX is already involved in building the Transport Layer and the Tracking Layer, which monitors missile threats.
The NRO mission will launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California during the fourth quarters of fiscal years 2025 and 2026.
These task orders were awarded under a contract signed with SpaceX, Blue Origin, and United Launch Alliance in June.
Why It Matters: This new contract follows SpaceX’s recent $70 million deal with the U.S. Space Force for the Starshield program, emphasizing the company’s growing role in national security.
The contract, signed in September 2023, marked SpaceX’s first foray into providing comprehensive Starshield services.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: SpaceX
