USAF EELV/NSSL Phase 2 Launch Service Procurement (Winners Announced)

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1237433316485234694

The #SATShow all-star rocket panel:

ULA CEO Tory Bruno
Northrop Grumman VP Charlie Precourt
Rocket Lab SVP Lars Hoffman
Relativity CEO Tim Ellis
SpaceX president Gwynne Shotwell

https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1237437300151332865

Bruno: The Air Force will select ULA for the LSP awards "and one of my other colleagues here."

[Coastal Ron]

Bruno: The Air Force will select ULA for the LSP awards "and one of my other colleagues here."

Hmm, just wanted to point out that Blue Origin was NOT there, so is Bruno implying that Blue Origin is not in the running?

[TrevorMonty]

Bruno: The Air Force will select ULA for the LSP awards "and one of my other colleagues here."

Hmm, just wanted to point out that Blue Origin was NOT there, so is Bruno implying that Blue Origin is not in the running?

No surprise, Blue doesn't have launch history let alone DoD one, while it's 3 competitors do.

[russianhalo117]

Bruno: The Air Force will select ULA for the LSP awards "and one of my other colleagues here."

Hmm, just wanted to point out that Blue Origin was NOT there, so is Bruno implying that Blue Origin is not in the running?

No surprise, Blue doesn't have launch history let alone DoD one, while it's 3 competitors do.

BO can on ramp NSSL like SpaceX did for EELV with F9 and FH once it's establishes an orbital flight record and completes the on ramp certification process. They will only get a minor number of launches once they complete the on ramp.

[lrk]

Bruno: The Air Force will select ULA for the LSP awards "and one of my other colleagues here."

Hmm, just wanted to point out that Blue Origin was NOT there, so is Bruno implying that Blue Origin is not in the running?

No surprise, Blue doesn't have launch history let alone DoD one, while it's 3 competitors do.

BO can on ramp NSSL like SpaceX did for EELV with F9 and FH once it's establishes an orbital flight record and completes the on ramp certification process. They will only get a minor number of launches once they complete the on ramp.

Is that still the case though?  I thought that the plan starting with NSSL phase 2 was to downselect to two providers, and only bring in new providers through future competed rounds? 

[gongora]

Bruno: The Air Force will select ULA for the LSP awards "and one of my other colleagues here."

Hmm, just wanted to point out that Blue Origin was NOT there, so is Bruno implying that Blue Origin is not in the running?

No surprise, Blue doesn't have launch history let alone DoD one, while it's 3 competitors do.

BO can on ramp NSSL like SpaceX did for EELV with F9 and FH once it's establishes an orbital flight record and completes the on ramp certification process. They will only get a minor number of launches once they complete the on ramp.

Is that still the case though?  I thought that the plan starting with NSSL phase 2 was to downselect to two providers, and only bring in new providers through future competed rounds?

There isn't any onramp provision in EELV during the five year contract period, but there is still the OSP program, which is how they contracted the DSCOVR and STP-2 flights from SpaceX.

[RedLineTrain]

Bruno says that he needs 8-12 launches a year to have a sustainable business.  Looks like he is arguing for the 60% of the launches, but 60% of 34 missions over 5 years wouldn't seem to get them close to 8-12 launches a year.

[butters]

SpaceX had to sue USAF to get their on-ramp. Blue Origin might have to follow suit.

[Lar]

The preferred short form is Blue rather than BO, for reasons obvious to speakers of American English.

[gongora]

SpaceX had to sue USAF to get their on-ramp. Blue Origin might have to follow suit.

As it stands (without legal action to change it), I think they could still go through the certification process when they're ready, but they wouldn't be eligible for contracts during the 5-year duration of Phase 2.  (At least that's what I recall, I may need to go back and refresh myself on what actually ended up getting passed in the NDAA last year.)  Then there would be a Phase 3 competition that's open to everyone again (I guess the solicitation would be around 2024).

[TrevorMonty]

Bruno says that he needs 8-12 launches a year to have a sustainable business.  Looks like he is arguing for the 60% of the launches, but 60% of 34 missions over 5 years wouldn't seem to get them close to 8-12 launches a year.

NASA exploration missions, Dreamchaser cargo and Starliner crew plus odd tourist flight should get them to around 10 a year.

Could also include odd launch supporting Artemis, depending on who wins HLS contract.

[gongora]

The revised solicitation was released on December 20, with revised bids due February 5.
(The major change was clarifying the selection criteria as discussed above.)

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://twitter.com/joroulette/status/1242475655406718977

Air Force SMC's launch enterprise director Col. Robert Bongiovi says national security space launch Phase 2 program is on track for selection in Q3 this year, with no coronavirus-related delays yet that would extend reliance on Russia's RD-180 engine beyond 2022.

[su27k]

Good overview of the 4 contenders of EELV Phase 2: Four Bidders Square Off Over Two Coveted U.S. Air Force Contracts

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://twitter.com/sandra_i_erwin/status/1247578164165062657

During a call with reporters HASC Chair @RepAdamSmith said he would not support delays to the Space Force launch procurement contract awards planned for mid-2020. He said the industry is "massively stressed" and DoD has a key role helping smaller companies get through the crisis.

[su27k]

https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1254935381436497920

The Air Force remains on track to award the NSSL Phase 2 contracts to two rocket companies (from a field of ULA, SpaceX, Northrop Grumman, & Blue Origin) by the end of next month, the Space and Missile Center's launch enterprise director Col. Rob Bongiovi says.

[gongora]

https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1254935381436497920

The Air Force remains on track to award the NSSL Phase 2 contracts to two rocket companies (from a field of ULA, SpaceX, Northrop Grumman, & Blue Origin) by the end of next month, the Space and Missile Center's launch enterprise director Col. Rob Bongiovi says.

When you also consider his followup reply, I'm not holding my breath for an award in May (next month).

https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1254935705706541056
I asked because a Jefferies report this morning said "the current timing of awards are expected to be in the June 2020 timeframe," which SMC confirmed.

[yg1968]

The latest on the NSSL Phase 2 awards (with ULA, SpaceX, Northrop Grumman and Blue Origin in the running), per @AF_SMC's Launch Enterprise director Col. Rob Bongiovi:

"We remain on track for a Phase 2 contract award this summer; however, it won’t happen before the end of June." Col. Bongiovi added: "This is a large and complex source selection, so the team is doing their due diligence."

https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1273012098315038720

[sdsds]

There are "4 choose 2" = 6 pairs of providers, and it is among those 6 that the source selection will be made. Further though, each of those pairs has two isomers because one of the pair will get 60% and the other 40%. So there are twelve possible outcomes. Does anyone else see value in a "poll" thread for predictions on this?

[meberbs]

There are "4 choose 2" = 6 pairs of providers, and it is among those 6 that the source selection will be made. Further though, each of those pairs has two isomers because one of the pair will get 60% and the other 40%. So there are twelve possible outcomes. Does anyone else see value in a "poll" thread for predictions on this?

Yes, which is why such a poll was created almost a year ago.

https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=48797.0

Results were extremely one sided, (SpaceX + ULA) so any new poll would almost be better just asking which will get 60 vs 40 from those 2.

I don't suppose anyone has seen news about the announcement date other than the "this summer" statement from June, which if still true should mean sometime this month.