Award represents 40 percent of the country’s critical satellite launches delivered to the most challenging and exotic orbits
Centennial, Colo., April 4, 2025 – The U.S. Space Force announced today that United Launch Alliance (ULA) was awarded a firm, fixed-price, indefinite-delivery requirements (IDR) contact to launch 40 percent of the missions to the country’s most challenging and exotic orbits on its newest launch procurement contract. This contract resulted from a competitive award under the Space Force’s National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 3 procurement.
“We are proud that we have launched 100 national security space missions and honored to continue serving the nation with our new Vulcan rocket,” said Tory Bruno, ULA’s president and CEO. “We are very pleased to be awarded 40 percent of the Phase 3 procurement. Vulcan is the right choice for critical national security space missions and is the only rocket today designed to meet all the requirements of our nation’s space launch needs.”
The competitive process ensures the U.S. has continued assured access to space and supports a robust domestic national security industrial base. The award represents missions ordered in fiscal years 2025 through 2029 with launches occurring through 2034. The missions will launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, and from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
“This award constitutes the most complex missions required for national security space,” said Bruno. “Vulcan continues to use the world’s highest energy upper stage; the Centaur V. Centaur V’s unmatched flexibility and extreme endurance enables the most complex orbital insertions continuing to advance our nation’s capabilities in space.”
About United Launch Alliance
For two decades, ULA has served as the custodian of America’s national security space mission. Our rockets fly to the most challenging and exotic orbits the nation requires, while delivering the most accurate payload insertions in the world. ULA continues to carry this unique capability forward with the new Vulcan rocket, the latest and most advanced vehicle of this type. Utilizing an innovative, modular architectural approach, Vulcan has expanded into the commercial LEO marketplace, providing efficient access to all orbits into the foreseeable future. With even more innovative technology on our horizon, the sky is definitely not the limit.
For more information on ULA, visit the ULA website at www.ulalaunch.com, subscribe to our YouTube channel and join the conversation on social media @ulalaunch.