WASHINGTON — The Senate Armed Services Committee on June 23 advanced its version of the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) by a vote of 24-1 after closed deliberations.
The bill authorizes $844 billion for the Department of Defense, or $2 billion greater than the Biden administration’s request.
The committee on Friday released an executive summary of its version of the NDAA. The bill now heads to the Senate floor for consideration.
Changes to NSSL Phase 3
The SASC strategic forces subcommittee included a provision so as to add more competitors to the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 3, a multibillion-dollar procurement of launch services projected for 2025 through 2029.
The committee “establishes an extra lane (Lane 2A) two years into Phase 3 of the National Security Space Launch acquisition program to permit for greater competition inside the field,” said the chief summary.
This may change the foundations that the U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command set for the NSSL Phase 3 competition.
In line with a draft solicitation released earlier this 12 months, there shall be two separate contract types in NSSL Phase 3.
Phase 3 Lane 1 will solicit bids for the more “risk tolerant” missions to low Earth orbit.
NSSL Phase 3 Lane 2 is modeled after the Phase 2 procurement that United Launch Alliance and SpaceX won in 2020. The Space Force will award five-year contracts to 2 launch providers able to flying a full range of missions to essentially the most demanding orbits.
The SASC proposal so as to add a Lane 2A two years into the contract would help recent entrant firms like Blue Origin that plan to introduce recent rockets through the projected timeframe for Phase 3. The language is paying homage to past efforts by the House Armed Services Committee so as to add a 3rd provider to the NSSL Phase 2 contract. The Air Force on the time pushed back on these proposals and insisted that only two providers must be chosen.
Other space policy provisions within the SASC bill:
- Directs the establishment of transparent regulations for getting into agreements and receiving cost reimbursements for the supply of products and services to business firms conducting space launch activities at Space Force bases.
- Directs a report on DOD efforts to higher integrate space operations with allies and partners.
- Codifies the Space Force’s role in providing space-based design and tasking of ground and air moving goal indicators to U.S. combatant commanders.
- Unlike the House Armed Services Committee’s version of the 2024 NDAA, the SASC bill doesn’t include language to establish a Space National Guard.