SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off in support of a National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 3 Lane 1 mission to deliver 21 Space Development Agency data transport Trance 1 space vehicles from Vandenberg SFB, Calif., on July 16, 2026. (Space Force photo, courtesy of SpaceX)
WASHINGTON — The Space Force’s move to increase the contract ceiling for less complex, less critical launches by $11.4 billion will cover an additional 110 launches, raising the total number of expected missions to 170 over the next decade, according to a Space Systems Command (SSC) spokesperson.
The Space Force on July 17 announced the tripling of its original $5.6 billion ceiling for the the National Security Space Launch Phase 3 Lane 1 program, bringing the total to $17 billion. The indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (ID/IQ) contract has a five-year base plus a five-year option between 2025 and 2034.
“When the Phase 3 Lane 1 contract was awarded in June 2024, there were a total of 60 missions expected for order,” the SSC spokesperson told Breaking Defense today. “The total number of estimated missions has now increased to approximately 170 due to the growing demand to deliver critical capabilities to orbit. … As a result, it was necessary to increase the ID/IQ contract value in response to the new estimated mission quantities expected to be ordered.
