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Senator questions canceling planned military satellites in favor of SpaceX

On March 27, 2025, the U.S. Space Force selected Rocket Lab, along with Stoke Space, to compete for national security missions under the National Security Space Launch Phase 3 program.
This selection is part of the Space Force's strategy to expand its portfolio of launch systems, enhance launch capacity, and foster competition among launch providers for Department of Defense missions.
The contract is a firm-fixed price, indefinite delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with a five-year ordering period running through June 2029, and a maximum value of $5.6 billion, with a potential extension to 2034.
Rocket Lab, already a global leader in launch services with 63 Electron launches to date, will use its Neutron launch vehicle, a 13-ton reusable carbon composite medium-lift vehicle designed to deploy payloads up to 13,000 kg, for the program.
Rocket Lab and Stoke Space each received an initial $5 million task order to perform a capabilities assessment and establish a tailored mission assurance process, and will be eligible to compete for launch service task orders after a successful Neutron launch from Launch Complex 3 in Wallops Island, Virginia, which is slated for the second half of the year.

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UPI

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Senator questions canceling planned military satellites in favor of SpaceX

A North Dakota senator has raised questions about the U.S. Space Force potentially canceling planned military satellite development contracts in favor of SpaceX-produced satellites called Starshield.

8 days ago·Washington, United States

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insidedefense.com

Center

VCSO: Boost-phase intercept may be technically feasible, but cost remains the rub

The Pentagon’s No. 2 space officer says advances in technology may have made space-based, boost-phase missile interception technically feasible, a shift from decades of skepticism -- though he cautioned that the real hurdle may lie in cost and organizational complexity. Gen. Michael Guetlein, vice chief of space operations, said during a March 27 online discussion hosted by the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance that while intercepting missiles i…

9 days ago

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Breaking Defense

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Space Force greenlights Rocket Lab, Stoke for future launches

Both companies were awarded indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contracts under the service’s National Security Space Launch Phase 3 Lane 1.

9 days ago

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sherwood.news

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Rocket Lab shares take off after US Space Force taps aerospace company for coveted launch program

Rocket Lab joins established rivals like Blue Origin and SpaceX to compete for $5.6 billion in contracts....

9 days ago

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Space News

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Rocket Lab, Stoke Space join National Security Space Launch competition

The companies were selected to compete for $5.6 billion in Pentagon launch contracts The post Rocket Lab, Stoke Space join National Security Space Launch competition appeared first on SpaceNews.

9 days ago·Mojave, United States

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