SpaceX Gets Lion’s Share Of First NSSL Phase 3 Lane 2 Missions

COLORADO SPRINGS—SpaceX is taking the lion’s share of the first missions assigned under the U.S. Space Force’s National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 3 Lane 2 contract, as United Launch Alliance’s Western Range launchpad development remains underway.

The service’s program executive office for assured access to space (AATS) has tapped SpaceX, United Launch Alliance (ULA) and Blue Origin to provide launches for missions under a new $13.7 billion contract, which was announced April 4. The office assigned the first nine missions under those contracts that same day, the Space Force announced April 7.

Of those nine missions, seven were assigned to SpaceX for a total of $845.8 million, and two to ULA for a total of $427.6 million. Blue Origin, as the third provider, will be eligible for mission assignments beginning in fiscal 2026, Brig. Gen. Kristin Panzenhagen, program executive officer (PEO) for AATS, told reporters April 8.

The Space Force anticipates assigning 54 missions under NSSL Phase 3 Lane 2 in fiscal 2025-29. The service has earmarked seven of those missions for Blue Origin, which would involve “less complex missions” like supporting GPS satellite launches, Panzenhagen said.

The other 47 missions will be divided between SpaceX and ULA by roughly 60-40, she explained.

In order to be eligible for NSSL Phase 3 Lane 2, competing providers had to demonstrate they had a credible plan to certify their launch vehicles for the full range of national security mission needs, and that they could launch from both Cape Canaveral SFS and Vandenberg SFB, California. The deadline for those certifications is Oct. 1, 2026, per the Space Force.

SpaceX is the only provider with fully NSSL-certified vehicles—Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy—and the ability to launch from both ranges. ULA’s Vulcan rocket was certified for NSSL missions on March 26, but its Western Range launchpad at Vandenberg is currently “in work,” per Panzenhagen.

Blue Origin demonstrated a credible plan to certify its New Glenn rocket and to launch from both ranges by Oct. 1, 2026, Col. Doug Pentecost, deputy PEO for AATS, said April 8. He referred any questions regarding that plan to Blue Origin.

“Not all of the certification requirements need to be met at one time,” Panzenhagen noted. “A company can be certified for a subset of missions while it continues to work on meeting the certification criteria for the broader set of missions.”

Since ULA is not certified for missions launching from the West Coast yet, it could not compete for any of the nine missions assigned in fiscal 2025 to list off from Vandenberg, she added.

Space Force leadership lauded the cost savings on NSSL Phase 3 Lane 2. The service had anticipated spending $15.5 billion on the contracts and brought the price down to $13.7 billion, thanks to economies of scale, Pentecost said.

Meanwhile, the Space Force anticipates launching the first two NSSL Phase 2 missions assigned to ULA’s Vulcan rocket this summer, Panzenhagen said. The payloads are ready and “waiting for those missions,” she said. Vulcan was certified for NSSL launches on March 26.