Elon Musk‘s SpaceX has reportedly been awarded five out of seven crucial military missions by the U.S. Space Force, leaving behind Jeff Bezos‘ Blue Origin and United Launch Alliance (ULA).
SpaceX Lands 5 of 7 Key Pentagon Space Missions in 2027
The U.S. Space Force has assigned five out of seven critical military missions for the upcoming fiscal year to SpaceX, despite Musk’s public fallout with U.S. President Donald Trump earlier this year, reported Space News on Friday. This decision will bring a $714 million windfall to SpaceX, highlighting the company’s continued dominance in securing Pentagon space contracts.
The remaining two missions have been assigned to United Launch Alliance (ULA), which has been awarded $428 million for these two launches. This decision underscores SpaceX’s continued dominance in Pentagon space contracts.
SpaceX's competitor, Blue Origin, has not yet secured certification for national security launches. SpaceX, meanwhile, has been tasked with missions that include deploying a communications satellite, three classified payloads, and a reconnaissance satellite, all scheduled for 2027.
These contracts are a part of the NSSL Phase 3 program which allocates $13.7 billion for around 54 missions scheduled between fiscal years 2025 and 2029, with launches expected from 2027 to 2032, allowing about two years for mission preparation and integration.
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SpaceX Secures Major US Launches, Eyes 95% Orbital Payloads
Before SpaceX, the Trump administration approved the use of Elon Musk’s AI chatbot, Grok, for all federal agencies in September. This approval came with a unique offer from the General Services Administration (GSA).
In September, SpaceX announced that it had launched 21 satellites for the U.S. Space Force’s Space Development Agency to aid in military communication and missile tracking. This move further solidified SpaceX’s position in the space industry, as the company has been actively involved in supporting national security initiatives.
Responding to a social media post by Steve Jurvetson, Elon Musk stated that the company is expected to handle roughly 95% of all orbital payloads, following reports that it launched 88.5% of global satellites in the second quarter.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
