The US has allocated $5.9 billion to Elon Musk's SpaceX, marking a significant investment in national security space missions. This follows United Launch Alliance's $5.4 billion and Blue Origin's $2.4 billion. The contracts, awarded through the National Security Space Launch Phase 3 Lane 2, will run from FY25 to FY29, with missions starting from FY27. SpaceX is set to secure 28 missions, representing a strategic pivot towards private space firms due to its reliability in launching sensitive payloads, contrasting with previous expectations favoring ULA. The inclusion of Blue Origin reveals growing confidence in their future capabilities despite current certification uncertainties.
The expected allocation of $5.9 billion for SpaceX highlights the Pentagon's strategic shift towards privatization in securing national security space missions.
The National Security Space Launch Phase 3 Lane 2 contracts awarded on April 4 signify a nearly doubled mission manifest compared to previous phases, indicating increased demand.
SpaceX’s selected launch methods, including Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy, underline its established capability to reliably deploy sensitive payloads for national security.
The surprising selection of Blue Origin amidst concerns about certification reflects a broader industry shift and the Pentagon's evolving approach to space security.
Collection
[
|
...
]