Elon Musk's SpaceX continues to cement its status as the Pentagon's go-to launch provider, this time scoring $739 million in new U.S. Space Force contracts for military satellite missions.
The Space Force's Space Systems Command handed down nine task orders under the National Security Space Launch Phase 3 Lane 1 program, all aimed at bolstering America's missile warning and tracking capabilities. The missions will support two key defense agencies: the Space Development Agency and the National Reconnaissance Office.
Here's what SpaceX is launching: The SDA-2 missions are slated to kick off in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2026, followed by SDA-3 missions beginning in the third quarter of FY27. There's also the NTO-5 launches scheduled for the first quarter of FY27 and second quarter of FY28.
The Hardware Details
According to Space Systems Command, the SDA-2 task order includes two launches carrying 18 Tranche 2 Tracking Layer space vehicles built by L3Harris, plus a separate launch with eight Fire-control On Orbit-support-to-the-war Fighter space vehicles from Millennium Space Systems.
The SDA-3 task order involves two launches delivering 18 Tranche 2 Tracking Layer vehicles manufactured by Lockheed Martin (LMT).
Colonel Matt Flahive, system program director for Launch Acquisition at the U.S. Space Force, put it plainly: "Our mission to deliver national defense capabilities to the joint force is achieved with each task order we award."
Staying Ahead of the Competition
This latest win extends SpaceX's impressive run with the Pentagon. Back in October 2024, the Space Force awarded SpaceX five out of seven critical military missions, leaving Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin and United Launch Alliance trailing behind.
Investor Ross Gerber, co-founder of Gerber Kawasaki, has pointed out that federal contracts have been crucial to SpaceX's success story. He's noted how government deals have significantly contributed to both SpaceX and Tesla (TSLA) building their respective empires.
SpaceX isn't just winning launch contracts either. The company also secured a 2024 Pentagon deal to expand Ukraine's access to its secure Starshield satellite network, adding 2,500 more Starlink terminals to support the war effort.
