SpaceX lands majority of U.S. national security launches awarded for fiscal year 2026

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Space Force assigned SpaceX five of seven national security missions budgeted in fiscal year 2026, continuing the company’s dominant streak in the Pentagon’s most critical launch program. United Launch Alliance (ULA) will fly the remaining two missions, while Blue Origin — whose New Glenn rocket is not yet certified — will have to wait until at least fiscal year 2027 for its first assignment, the Space Systems Command announced Oct. 3.

These awards mark the second round of launch assignments under the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 3 Lane 2 contract, which covers the Space Force’s most demanding missions through fiscal year 2029.

SpaceX’s newly assigned missions include USSF-206, carrying the 12th Wideband Global Satcom (WGS) communications satellite built by Boeing, along with three classified Space Force payloads — USSF-155, USSF-149, and USSF-63 — plus NROL-86 for the National Reconnaissance Office. The five missions have a combined value of $714 million, according to Space Systems Command.

ULA, meanwhile, secured USSF-88, which will carry the fourth GPS III Follow-on (GPS IIIF) satellite, and NROL-88, another reconnaissance payload. The two launches are valued at $428 million.

This follows the first round of awards for fiscal 2025 announced in April, when SpaceX won seven of nine missions worth $845.8 million, while ULA received two valued at $427.6 million.

Blue Origin waiting for certification

Blue Origin joined SpaceX and ULA as one of three providers selected for NSSL Phase 3 Lane 2 in April 2025 but did not receive any missions this year. The company’s New Glenn rocket has not yet completed its certification process for national security launches. Its next flight — a NASA Mars mission expected later this fall — is intended to advance that effort.

“No missions were assigned to the third provider, Blue Origin, which has its next opportunity for a mission in FY27,” Space Systems Command said in a statement.

Multi-year contract framework

The NSSL Phase 3 program is budgeted at $13.7 billion for about 54 missions between fiscal years 2025 and 2029. Launch assignments are expected to take place between fiscal years 2027 and 2032, providing roughly two years of lead time for mission integration.

Phase 3 introduced a dual-lane contracting strategy. Lane 1 is designed for less complex, commercial-style missions aimed at fostering competition and onboarding new entrants. Lane 2, where these latest assignments fall, covers high-priority, high-reliability national security launches.

Under the Lane 2 framework, SpaceX serves as the Requirement 1 provider, expected to receive around 60% of missions (about 28 total). ULA is the Requirement 2 provider, with roughly 19 missions anticipated. Blue Origin, as Requirement 3, is eligible for up to seven missions.