Pentagon contract figures show ULA’s Vulcan rocket is getting more expensive

Each year, the US Space Force holds a Mission Assignment Board to distribute contracts for launching crucial national security satellites. This year's announcements, made on Friday, saw SpaceX emerge as the leading contractor, securing five out of the seven available launch missions. Meanwhile, United Launch Alliance (ULA), a joint venture of Boeing and Lockheed Martin, was awarded contracts for the remaining two missions. These missions, designated for both the Space Force and the National Reconnaissance Office, are scheduled for launch in the coming years. As of now, SpaceX and ULA are the only firms with rockets certified by the Space Force to handle the Pentagon's high-stakes satellite launches. ULA's Vulcan rocket, which is set to succeed its Atlas V counterpart, made its debut nearly two years ago, achieving its first national security mission launch in August. In contrast, SpaceX's Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets boast extensive records of successful launches. Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket, developed by Jeff Bezos, is also listed among the Space Force's approved rockets but is still pending military certification, requiring at least one more successful flight before it can participate in National Security Space Launch (NSSL) missions. Col. Eric Zarybnisky, the program executive officer for Assured Access to Space, emphasized the importance of space for national security, stating, "Space is the ultimate high ground, critical for our national security. With this year's NSSL Phase 3 Lane 2 mission assignments, we continue to assure access to that high ground." The selection of SpaceX for the majority of this year's missions was anticipated, following the Space Force's announcement in April that it would prioritize SpaceX for launch contracts over the next several years. ULA is slated to receive the second-highest number of contracts, while Blue Origin is positioned as a potential third provider. Space Force officials noted that they may redistribute missions among the three companies if one experiences operational challenges.