America Space Force (USSF) recently released a second draft of a request for proposals (RFP) for the forthcoming phase three of the national security space launch (NSSL) program. Phase three will cover launch orders over a five-year period starting in October 2024 — the beginning of fiscal yr (FY) 2025 — and has been structured to encourage more providers to enter.
The NSSL program provides many of the space launch contracts for america Department of Defense (DOD), including flights for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). Colonel Douglas Pentecost and Colonel Chad Melone of the USSF provided more detail in regards to the recent draft RFP in a teleconference on Wednesday, July 19.
The NSSL program is currently in phase two, which has two providers, ULA and SpaceX, splitting the available missions. Throughout the first 4 years of the phase two ordering period, there have been awards of three, 4, eight, and 12 missions. The ultimate set of phase two orders next yr is predicted to incorporate 21 missions.
Phase three of the NSSL program has a rather different structure to assist encourage competition and produce in recent launch providers. This phase has an initial term of 5 years and can begin awarding mission assignments in FY2025, with the flights to start in FY2027. A complete of around 90 missions are expected to be awarded over the five-year period.
![](https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IMG_9426.jpeg)
Firefly Alpha FLTA002 on the pad at VSFB before launch. Systems like these could compete for lane one contracts. (Credit: Michael Baylor for NSF)
There are two different sets of contracts for phase three with very different sets of necessities. Lane one is for more risk-tolerant missions which can be generally going to low-Earth orbit (LEO), and it has far fewer constraints on the launch providers.
Lane two is way less risk tolerant and requires the power to satisfy stricter performance requirements. This lane is designed to satisfy the necessities of pricey payloads going to unique orbits with a really high success rate.
The lane one and lane two competitions will occur in parallel, with corporations in a position to submit proposals and win contracts in each lanes. It is predicted that every company would propose one system for every orbit in lane two, but lane one provides the power to supply different or multiple systems.
![](https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/NSF-2023-05-26-05-08-45-506.jpg)
Electron lifts off from Launch Complex 1B in Latest Zealand with two of NASA’s TROPICS satellites. Electron has flown DOD missions and will also win lane one contracts. (Credit: Rocket Lab)
Lane one
Lane one launch providers don’t need to satisfy the extensive set of necessities faced by those submitting proposals for lane two. Smaller vehicles may be offered, multiple launch sites usually are not required, and the launch systems don’t have to undergo the identical rigorous qualification process needed for lane two.
The launch providers can offer what they’re able to providing. There’s an annual onramp provision that permits recent providers to win contracts, and existing providers so as to add recent launch systems to its contracts. When a launch vehicle is able to compete, then it’ll have a possibility inside the subsequent yr to accomplish that.
This second draft of the RFP has a reduced minimum lift capability of 1,000 kg to a LEO reference orbit, with the power to hold as much as 6,800 kg over a series of missions to finish a contract. This enables lots of the upcoming recent launch vehicles to compete.
Those chosen will receive indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contracts that make them eligible to compete for a pool of around 30 launches over the term of phase three. A majority of those, around 20 missions, might be for the constellations that make up the Space Development Agency’s recent proliferated warfighter space architecture.
![](https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/BlueOrigin_NewGlenn_alternate2-scaled.jpg)
Latest Glenn, powered by BE-4 engines, ascends to space. Latest Glenn could compete for lane two contracts. (Credit: Blue Origin)
Lane two
Lane two is analogous to the present NSSL phase two. Lane two providers are required to realize certification for launching to a set of reference orbits that represent the total needs of the DOD satellite missions, including launching on to geostationary orbit (GEO) and supporting large payloads.
Other requirements include having launch facilities on each the East and West coasts, having the power to support vertical integration if needed, and giving the federal government insight into the performance of the launch vehicles after they fly for other customers.
The unique draft RFP called for 2 launch providers on this lane, with the highest selection getting 60% of the flights and the opposite 40%, much like the present setup in NSSL phase two. The brand new draft includes three providers in lane two. The highest two selections will handle about 50 missions, still split 60%/40% between them. A lot of the programs launching spacecraft in lane two will only have to be certain their satellites can launch on these top two providers.
The third-place company will find a way to fly seven missions, five of that are global positioning system (GPS) satellites delivered to medium-Earth orbit (MEO), and two that deliver its payloads on to GEO.
![](https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/50398297962_1319f75c7d_k.jpg)
GPS III SV05 is encapsulated inside a Falcon 9 fairing ahead of launch. (Credit: Lockheed Martin)
The primary GPS mission could be ordered within the second yr of the contract. The small set of missions constrains the money and time that should be spent on mission integration studies while also giving some harder missions that show the provider can meet the total requirements. These five GPS missions were contained in lane two for the primary draft of the RFP.
To be eligible to win a lane two contract, an organization needs to supply a reputable plan to certify its launch system by the start of FY2027, but some provisions of the contract encourage the competitors to realize certification before then. Those providers with plans to be certified earlier can receive a “strength” when the proposals are evaluated, improving its rating.
Those that get certified later may lose a few of its potential mission assignments. This lane has a brand new mechanism to assist keep launches from being delayed by late certification of a launch system. In the beginning of October every year, the NSSL program will see which of the lane two providers have achieved certification and are subsequently eligible to be awarded missions.
![](https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/32822471127_e860a66c5f_k.jpg)
An artist’s concept of Vulcan lifting off from SLC-41 on the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The Vulcan could also fly future USSF and NRO missions. (Credit: ULA)
Colonel Pentecost explained “for the primary order yr mission assignments, providers have to be certified by 1 Oct. 2024 to be assigned a mission. If a system is just not flying, those missions won’t be ordered from that provider and they’ll move to the opposite lane two launch provider.” If the third lane two provider is just not yet certified when its missions are able to be awarded, those flights will go into the pool that’s split between the highest two providers.
For the phase three contract, offerors propose one set of costs that might apply no matter whether the corporate wins first, second, or third place. Each lane two provider is eligible to receive as much as $100 million per yr to cover its costs of participation in this system, including maintaining multiple launch sites, fleet surveillance, organising secure facilities, etc. These costs might be included in the entire price when the proposals are evaluated.
It is predicted that United Launch Alliance, SpaceX, and Blue Origin will all bid for lane two contracts, though it’s hoped that others will bid as well. It is usually hoped that with more providers the USSF can hedge against launch scarcity and get well competition and innovation in the long term.
![](https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Fge_G9cXoAAI0Jj.jpg)
Falcon Heavy ascends through the fog on USSF-44 mission. (Credit: Sawyer Rosenstein for NSF)
Next steps
This week the NSSL program also held an industry day to debate the brand new draft RFP with prospective bidders, with plans to conduct one-on-one discussions with those corporations next week.
The ultimate RFP is currently targeted for release by September of this yr, with proposals due by December. Contract awards and first-year mission orders would occur in October 2025. As all the time, there may be a possibility that some details of the RFP will change between the second draft and the ultimate solicitation.
No matter the main points of the ultimate RFP, NSSL phase three is one other significant step in providing for future national security launches while offering more opportunities to more players within the space industry.