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National Security Space Launch

All articles tagged with #national security space launch

space-and-aerospace2 years ago

"Blue Origin Secures U.S. Space Force Funding for New Glenn Integration Studies"

Blue Origin has secured a contract with the U.S. Space Force for integration studies related to its New Glenn launch vehicle, marking a significant step in its potential participation in the National Security Space Launch Phase 3 program. The contract, worth nearly $18 million, aims to assess launch vehicle trajectory and mission design for missions planned in fiscal years 2025 and 2026. This development demonstrates the Space Force’s interest in New Glenn’s capabilities, as the company aims to challenge incumbents SpaceX and United Launch Alliance for demanding missions to higher orbits.

via SpaceNews|
#blue-origin#integration-studies#national-security-space-launch
space2 years ago

"US military's secretive X-37B space drone set for 7th launch atop SpaceX Falcon Heavy"

The US military's X-37B spaceplane is set for its seventh mission, this time launching atop a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket. The secretive vehicle, resembling a miniature space shuttle, is designed for long-duration orbital flights and technology experiments. The mission's details remain undisclosed, but it is expected to test new orbital regimes and space domain awareness technologies. The X-37B will also carry a NASA experiment to study the effects of radiation on plant seeds. This launch marks the ninth for SpaceX's Falcon Heavy and the third time it has been used for a national security payload.

via Reuters|
#national-security-space-launch#orbital-test-vehicle#space
space2 years ago

SpaceX's Experimental Spacecraft Set for Final Launch with Falcon Heavy

The Space Force is set to launch the X-37B space plane for its seventh mission, this time aboard SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket. The launch will test the vehicle's capabilities in new orbital regimes and focus on space domain awareness technologies. The X-37B, built by Boeing, has been spending increasingly longer durations in orbit with each mission. It is unclear how many more flights the spacecraft can endure, and there are hints that it may be nearing the end of its operational life.

via Air & Space Forces Magazine|
#falcon-heavy#national-security-space-launch#space
space2 years ago

Budget Battle Threatens Funding for National Security Space Launch Missions

The U.S. Space Systems Command has announced the details of its latest batch of launch contracts for national security missions, which will be shared between United Launch Alliance (ULA) and SpaceX. However, due to financial uncertainty on Capitol Hill, not all proposed missions may receive funding, including a demonstration of a nuclear thermal rocket. Among the 21 missions assigned to ULA and SpaceX, only eight are expected to be ordered under a continuing resolution scenario. The Phase 2 National Security Space Launch (NSSL) missions aim to protect U.S. assets in orbit and on the ground, as well as advance defense capabilities.

via Spaceflight Now|
#capitol-hill#funding#national-security-space-launch
space2 years ago

Space Force Awards $2.5 Billion in Rocket Contracts to SpaceX and ULA for 21 National Security Launches

The U.S. Space Force has awarded SpaceX and United Launch Alliance (ULA) contracts worth $2.5 billion for a total of 21 rocket launches under the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 2 program. ULA received 11 missions valued at $1.3 billion, while SpaceX received 10 missions valued at $1.23 billion. The missions are scheduled to launch over the next two to three years, with ULA using its upcoming Vulcan rocket and SpaceX utilizing its Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets. This comes as Space Force plans to expand the NSSL program with Phase 3, aiming to purchase an estimated 90 launches in the next round.

via CNBC|
#national-security-space-launch#rocket-contracts#space
space2 years ago

Space Force Assigns 21 National Security Missions to ULA and SpaceX, Orders New Space Launches

The Space Systems Command has assigned 21 launch missions to United Launch Alliance (ULA) and SpaceX as part of the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 2 contract. ULA received 11 missions, while SpaceX received 10. These missions are projected to launch over the next two to three years. This announcement marks the final year of the Phase 2 contract, which originally estimated 34 missions but has now increased to a total of 48 missions. ULA's first Phase 2 launch is scheduled for no earlier than March 2024, while SpaceX has upcoming NSSL missions including USSF-52 and USSF-124.

via SpaceNews|
#launch-missions#national-security-space-launch#space
defensespace2 years ago

"Space Force Expands Rocket-Launch Contractor Roster to Meet Growing Demand"

The US Space Force is expanding its competition for mission contracts, planning to buy more rocket launches than previously expected. Under the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 3 program, the Space Force aims to almost triple the number of launches it bought in Phase 2, estimating 90 missions. The program has been split into two groups, with Lane 1 allowing companies to compete as rockets debut and Lane 2 selecting companies for missions with the most demanding requirements. The Space Force has made adjustments to Phase 3, including adding more missions, introducing a price cap, and expanding Lane 2 to three companies.

via CNBC|
#competition#defensespace#military-missions
space2 years ago

SpaceX expands launch capabilities with fifth U.S. site acquisition.

SpaceX has been granted approval to lease a second rocket launch complex at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, giving the company its fifth launch site in the US. The new launch site, Space Launch Complex-6, was vacated by United Launch Alliance last year and will allow SpaceX to handle an increasingly busy launch schedule for commercial, government and internal satellite launches. The base allows for launches in a southern trajectory over the Pacific ocean, which is often used for weather-monitoring, military or spy satellites that commonly rely on polar Earth orbits.

via Reuters|
#national-security-space-launch#rocket-launch#space