SpaceX Secures Majority of 2026 Pentagon Launch Missions
(MENAFN) The US Space Force has awarded five out of seven high-priority national security launch assignments for fiscal year 2026 to SpaceX, further reinforcing the company's dominant position within the Pentagon's most challenging space launch initiative.
Meanwhile, United Launch Alliance (ULA) was selected for the remaining two missions.
Blue Origin, still awaiting clearance for its New Glenn rocket, was once again left out of the selection.
According to Space Systems Command, the company is not expected to carry any U.S. national security payloads until at least fiscal 2027.
These launch allocations are part of the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 3 Lane 2 contract—a multi-billion-dollar agreement encompassing the Department of Defense’s most intricate launch operations through 2029.
SpaceX’s awarded missions, valued at $714 million, include the "USSF-206" mission, which will transport Boeing’s 12th "Wideband Global Satcom" satellite.
The company will also launch three undisclosed Space Force payloads, along with the "NROL-86" surveillance mission.
ULA received $428 million for two operations: the "USSF-88" mission, which will carry a "GPS III Follow-on" satellite, and the "NROL-88" intelligence payload.
Although Blue Origin was chosen last year to compete in Phase 3 alongside SpaceX and ULA, its New Glenn rocket has not yet achieved flight certification.
A forthcoming NASA Mars mission later this year is expected to aid in its approval process, potentially opening the door for its first national security mission in fiscal 2027.
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