SpaceX has secured a massive $1.6 billion contract with the U.S. Space Force to launch 18 Falcon 9 rockets from California over the next year and a half.
The two task orders, announced by Space Systems Command, fall under the military’s National Security Space Launch Phase 3 Lane 1 framework. Every mission will lift off from Vandenberg Space Force Base, with all 18 launches scheduled to wrap up by the end of 2027.
The flights will support the military’s Space Based Sensing and Targeting portfolio, which focuses on tracking airborne objects and improving data sharing across military branches.
Military officials pointed out how quickly this agreement came together, taking just two months from identifying the requirement to handing out the award.
“Sensing and targeting of airborne objects from space and providing near-real-time communications across the Joint Force, are vital to the defense of our nation. The rapid acquisition capabilities provided by our NSSL Phase 3 dual-lane approach allows us the flexibility to deliver satellites for our warfighters in an increasingly efficient manner,” said Space Force Col. Eric Zarybnisky, acting portfolio acquisition executive for Space Access, in a statement on Wednesday. “We have set an unprecedented two-month acquisition timeline under the Phase 3 Lane 1 contract from requirement identification to award. This includes the one-month period for the launch service providers’ proposal preparation. Ultimately, this timeline results in the speed our warfighter demands more than ever before.”
By streamlining procurement, defence officials hope to get crucial orbital hardware into position far faster than standard government timelines usually allow.
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