The Space Force is now seeking to buy up to $30 billion in rocket launches - Ars Technica

What the report says

Ars Technica reports that the U.S. Space Force has raised the ceiling on a major National Security Space Launch contract, increasing the maximum value of its Phase 3 Lane 1 procurement from $5.6 billion to $17 billion. Military officials announced the change on Friday, reflecting growing Pentagon demand for launches to place national security satellites in orbit. Combined with a separate Lane 2 launch contract capped at $13.7 billion, the program’s potential value now exceeds $30 billion.

The NSSL Phase 3 structure separates missions by risk and priority. Lane 1 covers more flexible or lower-risk launches, including experimental payloads, rideshares and satellites for military data-relay or surveillance networks. Lane 2 is reserved for high-priority strategic payloads and requires rockets to pass more extensive military certification; Ars identifies SpaceX’s Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy and United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan as certified for that lane.

SpaceX, ULA and Blue Origin were initially selected for Lane 1 in 2024, with Rocket Lab, Stoke Space, Relativity Space and Impulse Space later added. Ars reports that SpaceX has won most Lane 1 task orders so far, while Blue Origin secured its first earlier this year. The Space Force had originally planned for at least 30 Lane 1 orders over five years, but has not publicly specified how many more missions the increased contract authority is meant to cover.

Ars links the expected launch growth to major Pentagon satellite efforts, including SpaceX awards for the Space Data Network and Airborne Moving Target Indicator programs, as well as the Trump administration’s proposed Golden Dome missile-defense concept. The article also notes a White House request of $71.1 billion for the Space Force in fiscal 2027, above the roughly $40 billion allocated for fiscal 2026.