Space Force awards SpaceX, ULA $384 million for four FY-23 launches

The Space Force has awarded contracts totaling approximately $384 million to SpaceX and United Launch Alliance for four National Security Space Launch Missions slated to launch in fiscal year 2023.

The task orders, announced Tuesday, were issued under the existing Launch Services Procurement Phase 2 contract, which the service awarded in August. ULA’s two missions, USSF-12 and USSF-87, are valued at $224 million and SpaceX’s USSF-36 and NROL-69 missions total about $160 million.

Both of SpaceX’s missions will fly on a Falcon 9 rocket and ULA’s will fly on the company’s Vulcan Centaur launch vehicle.

The contracts awarded this week are the second slate of task orders the service has issued since awarding the LSP Phase 2 contract. SpaceX was initially awarded two missions worth $337 million and SpaceX one mission worth $136 million, all scheduled for launches in 2022.

In a press release issued Tuesday, Space and Missile Systems Center Launch Enterprise Director Col. Robert Bongiovi said the service is “very pleased with the flexibility offered by our Phase 2 providers to make the best launch choices and adjustments as we proceed.”

The press release doesn’t describe what satellites the launch vehicles will carry for each mission.