SpaceX Secures Majority of U.S. National Security Launches for 2026
(MENAFN) The U.S. Space Force has awarded SpaceX five of the seven high-priority national security launch missions slated for fiscal year 2026, solidifying the company's leading role in the Pentagon’s most technically demanding space operations.
The assignments, announced Friday by Space Systems Command, fall under the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 3 Lane 2 program—a multibillion-dollar contract covering complex military launches through 2029. The total program value is estimated at $13.7 billion, with about 54 missions planned between FY2025 and FY2029. Actual liftoffs will occur between 2027 and 2032, allowing time for payload integration.
SpaceX will receive $714 million for its share of the 2026 manifest, which includes the USSF-206 mission carrying Boeing’s 12th Wideband Global Satcom satellite, three classified Space Force payloads, and the NROL-86 reconnaissance launch.
United Launch Alliance (ULA), the only other contractor to receive missions in this round, secured $428 million for two flights: USSF-88, featuring a GPS III Follow-on satellite, and the NROL-88 spy satellite.
Meanwhile, Blue Origin—despite being selected last year to compete in Phase 3—was not assigned any missions. The company is still waiting for its New Glenn rocket to achieve certification and is not expected to launch a national security payload before fiscal 2027.
A NASA Mars mission later this year could play a key role in advancing New Glenn’s flight readiness, officials said. However, Friday’s announcement makes clear that Blue Origin remains sidelined in the near term.
The Space Force’s latest awards underline SpaceX’s continued dominance in national security launches, as it maintains a proven record of performance and reliability in delivering critical payloads into orbit.
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