WASHINGTON — The U.S. Space Force on Oct. 4 released two solicitations for the subsequent round of national security launch contracts, often called National Security Space Launch Phase 3.
NSSL Phase 3 is a multibillion-dollar procurement of launch services projected for 2025 through 2034. United Launch Alliance and SpaceX won NSSL Phase 2 in 2020, and their current contracts are being recompeted.
Proposals are due Dec. 15 and contract awards are projected in mid- to late 2024.
There are two solicitations for NSSL Phase 3 since the Space Force is splitting this system into two lanes.
- The Lane 1 portion of NSSL Phase 3 includes lower-risk missions to lower orbits, open to any launch provider that has a proven flight record. As many as 30 missions shall be awarded on an annual basis over a ten 12 months period extending from fiscal 12 months 2025 through 2034.
- The Lane 2 solicitation is open to heavy-lift launch providers which are certified by the U.S. Space Force and might fly payloads to nine “reference orbits,” which include a number of the most demanding missions.
Plans to pick out a 3rd provider in Lane 2 would open the door to a brand new entrant like Blue Origin, which is developing its Latest Glenn rocket. Nevertheless, if the vehicle shouldn’t be certified by October 2026, the Space Force may determine to only award two contracts.
“If the federal government determines there are lower than three awardable offerors, the federal government may award lower than three contracts,” said the ultimate RFP. Lane 2 providers must reveal a capability to perform not less than eight national security missions per 12 months.
All three Lane 2 winners shall be eligible for as much as $100 million a 12 months in funding to pay for military-unique requirements, corresponding to having each East and West Coast launch sites, vertical integration facilities and giving the Space Force access to their business launch data. This funding shouldn’t be available to Lane 1 competitors.
The plan for Lane 2 is to pick out the “best value, next best value, and third best value launch service providers who meet all NSSL orbits and unique mission capabilities,” the deputy program manager of national security launch at Space Systems Command Col. Douglas Pentecost, said in a press release Oct. 5.
Space Force concerned about ‘constrained market’
The highest two scorers will split 60/40 roughly 42 missions over five years, from fiscal years 2025 to 2029. The third best value provider will receive as much as seven Lane 2 missions starting in fiscal 12 months 2026.
Pentecost said the dual-lane strategy was developed in response to a projected growth in demand for satellite launches and concerns a couple of shortage of heavy-lift rockets later this decade.
“The ultimate RFP affirms the inclusion of a 3rd Lane 2 provider, and annual on-ramping opportunities in Lane 1,” said Pentecost. These provisions seek to “strengthen the commercial base and increase the provision of reliable space launches for NSSL programs in a constrained market.”
By the top of the Phase 3, said Pentecost, “we can have not less than three providers fully able to meeting all NSSL requirements, in addition to a full complement of launch service providers using systems designed for more risk-tolerant space vehicles launching to traditionally business orbits.”
The Space Force’s top procurement executive Frank Calvelli, assistant secretary of the Air Force for space acquisition and integration, praised the NSSL Phase 3 strategy for being modern and ensuring the nation can “put latest space capabilities on orbit quickly.”