and where does it say the NRO mission set is one launch? It gives two dates a year apart for that mission set.
Space Systems Command awarded two task orders to SpaceX Oct. 18, covering seven launches for the Space Development Agency’s data transport satellites and an undisclosed number of launches for the secretive National Reconnaissance Office.
I've updated this story with additional information from Space Systems Command. There are actually nine launches in these task orders, not eight, at an average price of $81.5 million per mission. Six will launch from Vandenberg, three from Cape Canaveral.
Falcon 9 was selected by the @SpaceForceDoD to launch nine new national security missions!
SDA-1 LSTOOne of the task orders will support the Space Development Agency’s launch of seven space vehicles for the Tranche 2 Transport Layer satellite network. The launches will be designated T2TL-D through J. Three of the SDA launches will lift off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida and the four remaining missions will launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
Lane 1 provides awardees who can meet a subset of the NSSL requirements the opportunity to compete for ~30 missions via annual task order competitions. The NSSL program has implemented a tiered mission assurance approach that inherently accepts a higher risk to mission success to address mission specific needs. • For this FY25 on-ramp, the Government intends to competitively award multiple award IDIQ contracts. These IDIQ contracts will have a four (4)-year basic ordering period and a 5-year option ordering period. The Government will reopen the original IDIQ solicitation on an annual basis to on-ramp emerging providers. • As stated in Attachment 9, Evaluation Criteria, of the FY25 On-Ramp RFP, Offerors must comply with the U.S. Commercial Provider definition of the Commercial Space Act of 1998, Title II P.L. 105-303. Sec. 2(8)(A) defines US Commercial Provider as organized under the laws of the United States and is more than 50% owned by United States nationals. See also Sec. 2(2) and Sec. 2(8) of the Act. • The FY25 On-Ramp RFP is attached to this notice. Sensitive RFP documents will be provided via DoD SAFE. Potential offerors must contact the Contracting Officer, Kirsten Prechtl, and courtesy copy the Contract Specialist, Andrea DeMars, listed in this notice to receive the sensitive RFP documents. • Proposals are due by 1200 Pacific Time on Friday, 13 December 2024.
National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 3 Lane 1 Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 On-Ramp Request for Proposal (RFP) [Oct 30]
As expected Rocket Lab is apparently bidding for lane 1 this year using Neutron: https://spacenews.com/rocket-lab-confirms-plan-to-bid-for-pentagon-launch-contracts-with-new-medium-rocket/.
SpaceX has been awarded 7 missions for $733m.
3 is more than enough competitors to service lane 2.
Quote from: TrevorMonty on 01/08/2025 05:21 pm3 is more than enough competitors to service lane 2.For best results there should be frequent new entrants to keep the incumbents on their toes. SpaceX made a big difference as a lane 2 new entrant previously and Blue Origin is the current new entrant. I was hoping that Relativity would be the next new entrant, but there are hints that Relativity may not survive due to insufficient money (see Relativity thread e.g. https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=40975.msg2653796#msg2653796). So another new entrant is desirable. Maybe Stoke Space will build a lane 2 sized vehicle if their current Nova vehicle is successful?
Col. Jim Horne, Senior Materiel Leader, Launch Execution Delta, Assured Access to Space, Space Systems Command, notes that they can’t talk about the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 3 Lane 2 contract because it’s still in solicitation.He says that will hopefully be awarded this year.
Horne says of NSSL Phase 3 Lane 1, SSC opens up solicitation for onboarding new launch providers each December. They then go onto open competition for task orders.
Horne says they have 49 missions specified on NSSL Phase 3 Lane 2, which have not yet been awarded.Lane 1 is not quite as stringent and will be tackled on “a case by case basis” when it comes to integration requirements.
Panzenhagen further noted that the service is planning to begin launches under the next phase of the NSSL program, called Phase 3, in 2025. Those would be under Phase 3 Lane 1, which covers launches to easier to reach orbits, payloads with less mass, and missions that are not absolute must-gos. Lane 1 launch providers also face fewer “certification requirements,” she said, including only having to complete one successful launch meeting Space Force requirements.For example, while she said that all the data has yet to be collected and analyzed, Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket is expected to become Phase 3 Lane 1 certified. New Glenn made its maiden launch on Jan. 16.
If ULA wins 60 and SpaceX wins 40, SpaceX will sue.
Quote from: RedLineTrain on 01/17/2025 07:07 pmIf ULA wins 60 and SpaceX wins 40, SpaceX will sue.On what basis? USSF has an explicit mandate to maintain assured access to space, and their assertion that this requires two viable providers is defensible. Also, it's probably not worth SpaceX' time to bother to sue. Also, building a VIF for the FH would be a distraction, so they might quietly let USSF know that they will not sue as long as USSF grants all the missions that require vertical integration to Vulcan, at least until Starship is certified.
