SpaceX to launch 'national security' missions for US Space Force
What's the story
SpaceX, the pioneering space exploration company led by Elon Musk, has bagged a $733.6 million contract from the US Space Force. The deal includes two "National Security Space Launch Phase 3 Lane 1 Launch Service Task Orders." They comprise seven launches for the Space Development Agency (SDA), and one "mission set" for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), Space Force officials said.
Strategic move
A step toward enhancing national security capabilities
Brigadier General Kristin Panzenhagen, Program Executive Officer for Assured Access to Space, stressed the strategic importance of this contract in an emailed statement. "In this era of Great Power Competition, it is imperative to not leave capability on the ground," she said. Panzenhagen added, "The Phase 3 Lane 1 construct allows us to execute launch services more quickly for the more risk-tolerant payloads."
Satellite constellation
SpaceX's role in expanding the transport layer
The SDA task order under this contract seeks to expand Tranche 2 of the Transport Layer, a satellite constellation that will eventually include 300-500 or more satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO). SpaceX has already launched several missions for assembling both the Transport Layer and its counterpart, the Tracking Layer. The latter is designed to detect and monitor potential missile threats.
Upcoming launches
Details of the NRO mission set
While we still don't know much about the seven planned SDA launches, we do know a bit about the "mission set" for the NRO. The NRO runs America's fleet of spy satellites, and its mission set will take off from California's Vandenberg Space Force Base in Q4 of fiscal year 2025, and Q4 of fiscal year 2026. This means the task order covers at least two liftoffs.
Contract details
Contract awarded under "indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity" agreement
The new task orders were given under an "indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity" contract Space Force had inked with SpaceX, Blue Origin, and United Launch Alliance in June this year. The contract covers seven launches for the SDA and one for the NRO. All these launches are tipped to use Falcon 9s and take place no earlier than 2026.