Musk's SpaceX Bags $714 Mn Pentagon Deal; Blue Origin Awaits nod

The US Space Force has awarded SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, five of seven critical military launch missions for the coming fiscal year worth $714 million. The contracts are said to strengthen SpaceX's dominance in Pentagon space contracts, despite recent public tensions between Musk and President Donald Trump. United Launch Alliance (ULA) purchased the remaining two missions for $428 million.

Key Highlights 

• SpaceX wins $714M in Pentagon launch contracts, securing dominance over critical military missions.
• Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket still lacks national security clearance, sidelining it from these contracts.

The contracts are part of the National Security Space Launch Program (NSSL), which previously selected SpaceX, ULA, and Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin for 54 missions worth $13.5 billion, scheduled between 2027 and 2032. "Space is the ultimate high ground, critical for our national security," said Col. Eric Zarybnisky of the United States Space Systems Command, according to Air & Space Forces.

"Delivering assets to the warfighter is our ultimate mission, and we rely on strong government-industry partnerships to achieve that goal." SpaceX's missions include launching a communication satellite, three classified payloads, and a reconnaissance satellite, with launches scheduled for 2027 due to the Space Force's two-year advance planning.

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Meanwhile, Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket, which competes with SpaceX's Falcon Heavy, is still uncertified for NSSL missions and has not been assigned any launches for this cycle. Blue Origin's next opportunity for a mission is in fiscal year 2027, but its upcoming NASA Mars mission—delayed from 2024 and potentially launching by the end of the month—could accelerate its certification prospects.

The awards are said to highlight SpaceX's lead in national security space launches, while Blue Origin aims to gain a stronger foothold in the competitive space race.