SpaceX wins $1.6B Space Force contract for 18 Falcon 9 launches

The U.S. Space Force awarded Rocket Lab a $266 million contract for up to 18 suborbital launches and SpaceX two task orders worth $1.6 billion for 18 Falcon 9 launches on July 31, 2026. The Department of Transportation also proposed exempting commercial launch licenses from environmental regulations, including the National Environmental Policy Act.

The Rocket Lab contract, its largest ever, covers 12 firm launches with up to six additional ones, primarily from a new site at the Pacific Spaceport Complex-Alaska in Kodiak. SpaceX's task orders, under the National Security Space Launch Phase 3 Lane 1 program, will support the Space Based Sensing and Targeting portfolio, with all launches from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, expected by the end of 2027.

These awards underscore the military's reliance on commercial launch providers for national security missions. Rocket Lab CEO Sir Peter Beck said the contract reflects confidence in the company's ability to meet urgent demands with speed and scale. Space Force Col. Eric Zarybnisky noted the NSSL Phase 3 dual-lane approach enables efficient satellite delivery for warfighters.

The proposed DOT rule would waive 13 federal laws, including the Endangered Species Act, Clean Water Act, and Clean Air Act, for FAA-licensed launches and reentries. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said cutting red tape is essential for winning a new space race, but environmental groups strongly oppose the move, warning of harm to ecosystems.

In other developments, Rocket Factory Augsburg delayed its RFA One debut from Scotland after discovering a vehicle issue, with no new date set. MaiaSpace scrapped a suborbital test flight, targeting an orbital launch in the second half of 2027. ArianeGroup completed a wet dress rehearsal of its Themis reusable booster demonstrator in Sweden. Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg said Starliner redesign work is going well, and a cargo mission to the space station could launch this year, pending docking port availability. Stoke Space announced three flight engines are ready for testing, with a Nova debut possible in late 2026 or 2027.

A Falcon 9 upper stage from a January 15, 2025 launch is set to impact the Moon on August 5, 2026, and researchers at the University of Texas at Austin say the debris plume may be visible through telescopes, offering a rare chance to study impact physics and lunar soil. AST SpaceMobile scheduled a Falcon 9 launch of its BlueBird satellites for August 5, 2026, to expand its cellular broadband network. SpaceX's 13th Starship test flight ended with an intact ocean splashdown, and Elon Musk said the company may attempt to retrieve the vehicle and try a tower catch on the next flight, though experts question whether the current heat shield can achieve rapid reusability.