SpaceX Gets 60% of $13.7B Space Force Deal

Sunita Somvanshi

Space Force dishes out $13.7 billion in contracts to SpaceX, ULA, and Blue Origin for critical military satellite launches through 2033.

Photo Source: NASA HQ PHOTO (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

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SpaceX bags the lion's share with 28 missions worth $5.9 billion, while ULA secures 19 launches and newcomer Blue Origin gets 7 flights.

Photo Source: Official SpaceX Photos (CC BY-NC 2.0)

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Military brass see these contracts as vital for national security, ensuring satellites for communications, navigation, and missile warning stay in orbit.

Photo Source: Vsatinet (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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Elon Musk couldn’t resist a jab at competitors, posting that his rivals "cannot currently deliver" their 40% share of launches.

Photo Source: JD Lasica (CC BY 2.0)

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Blue Origin must prove itself worthy, with its New Glenn rocket having flown just once and needing certification before handling classified payloads.

Photo Source: Sadik hakan (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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ULA's freshly certified Vulcan Centaur rocket (March 26, 2025) aims to maintain the company's decades-long military launch legacy

Photo Source: Mohit S (CC BY 2.0)

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The Space Force's "two-lane" contract strategy cleverly balances high-risk national security missions with less sensitive commercial-style launches.

Photo Source: NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (CC BY-NC 2.0)

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*All three companies face the complex challenge of vertical integration capabilities, required for handling the government's most sensitive satellites

Photo Source: NASA Kennedy (CC BY-NC 2.0)

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These contracts represent the Space Force's push to end reliance on any single launch provider, creating a competitive market that drives down costs

Photo Source: NASA Johnson (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

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