Elon Musk’s SpaceX, United Launch Alliance (ULA), and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin have secured U.S. Space Force rocket launch contracts worth a combined $13.5 billion through 2029. These contracts will involve launching some of the Pentagon’s most sensitive satellites into space. The National Security Space Launch procurement program will assign approximately 54 missions through 2029. SpaceX, known for its Falcon 9 rockets, is set to handle a significant portion of these missions due to its high launch rate. ULA’s new Vulcan rocket, which had its first launches last year, has also been certified for national security missions. Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket, despite having less experience, is part of the contracts as well. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk emphasized the company’s dominance in the industry, noting that competitors cannot currently meet the remaining 40% of mission requirements. — new from Reuters
