Blue Origin, SpaceX, ULA win $5.6 billion in Pentagon launch contracts

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Area Drive has chosen Blue Origin, SpaceX, and United Launch Alliance for the Nationwide Safety Area Launch Section 3 launch companies program. The three firms gained contracts probably value $5.6 billion over 5 years, the Pentagon introduced June 13. 

The three firms will compete for orders over the contract interval beginning in fiscal yr 2025 via 2029. Beneath the NSSL program, the Area Drive orders particular person launch missions as much as two years prematurely. A minimum of 30 NSSL Lane 1 missions are anticipated to be competed over the 5 years.

The Section 3 contract is a giant win for Blue Origin, marking the primary time the house firm based by billionaire Jeff Bezos has been chosen to launch delicate nationwide safety satellites. SpaceX and ULA — a Boeing-Lockheed Martin three way partnership — have had a lock on nationwide safety launch contracts beneath the Section 2 program that started in 2020.   

Blue Origin did compete for the Section 2 contract and unsuccessfully protested the choice.

New Glenn concentrating on first launch this yr

Blue Origin’s New Glenn heavy carry reusable rocket — in growth for practically a decade — is present process testing and is projected to aim its first orbital flight later this yr. 

The NSSL Section 3 program was structured into two “lanes.” Lane 1 is for much less demanding launches to low Earth orbit, whereas Lane 2 is reserved for heavy carry rockets able to delivering payloads to 9 reference orbits, together with among the most demanding nationwide safety missions.

The choice of Blue Origin, SpaceX, and ULA for Lane 1 contracts confirms that no different launch suppliers met the standards.

“As we anticipated, the pool of awardees is small this yr as a result of many firms are nonetheless maturing their launch capabilities,” Brig. Gen. Kristin Panzenhagen, program government officer for Assured Entry to Area, stated in an announcement. “Our technique accounted for this by permitting on-ramp alternatives yearly, and we anticipate growing competitors and variety as new suppliers and programs full growth.”

The following alternative for suppliers to on-ramp can be within the first quarter of fiscal yr 2025.

The Area Drive earlier this yr awarded Blue Origin practically $18 million for Nationwide Safety Area Launch Section 3 “early integration research” to evaluate the capabilities of the New Glenn rocket.

As a part of the Section 3 contract, Blue Origin will obtain $5 million to conduct an preliminary capabilities evaluation of its mission assurance, the Area Drive stated. Area X and ULA will obtain $1.5 million every since they’re incumbent Section 2 suppliers.

The primary activity order alternative in Section 3 Lane 1 can be for seven U.S. Area Drive Area Growth Company launches and one for the Nationwide Reconnaissance Workplace. “Any launch supplier on the bottom contract can bid for launch service activity orders supplied they’ve accomplished a profitable orbital launch previous to the proposal due date,” the Area Drive stated in an announcement June 13.

Area Drive needs range in launch suppliers

Area Drive officers stated the purpose of NSSL Section 3 is to extend competitors, drive down launch prices for nationwide safety payloads whereas sustaining assured entry to house via redundant capabilities. 

“The NSSL Section 3 launch service procurement contracts present the chance to incorporate essentially the most present home industrial innovation into our launch program as quickly it turns into accessible,” stated Frank Calvelli, assistant secretary of the Air Drive for house acquisition and integration.

The Area Drive plans to pick Lane 2 suppliers this fall. “The federal government intends to award as much as three contracts for the NSSL Section 3 Lane 2 Launch Service Procurement,” stated the Area Methods Command. Lane 2 contracts will embody missions that require full mission assurance with NSSL-certified launch automobiles. The payloads included in Lane 2 require launches to extra stressing orbits than Lane 1, necessitating increased efficiency launch programs.

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