WASHINGTON — Blue Origin, the aerospace company founded by Jeff Bezos, has secured a contract with the U.S. Space Force for integration studies related to its New Glenn launch vehicle. The new agreement marks a significant step in Blue Origin’s potential participation in the National Security Space Launch Phase 3 program, a multi-billion dollar procurement of launch services for national security satellites.
The Space Force awarded Blue Origin nearly $18 million for “National Security Space Launch Phase 3 Lane 2 early integration studies to assess launch vehicle trajectory and mission design, coupled launch loads, and integrated thermal environments to inform compatibility between launch vehicles and space vehicles for missions planned in fiscal years 2025 and 2026.”
The NSSL Phase 3 procurement is divided into two lanes: Lane 1 caters to lower-risk missions to lower orbits, while Lane 2 focuses on demanding missions to higher orbits, requiring certified launch vehicles and full mission assurance. The latter is where Blue Origin, with its New Glenn heavy-lift rocket, could aim to challenge incumbents SpaceX and United Launch Alliance.
Bids for NSSL Phase 3 were submitted in December. Launch services contracts are expected to be awarded later this year for missions to be flown starting in late 2025 through 2029 or beyond.
To win a Lane 2 contract, bidders are required to “have a credible plan to obtain certification by 1 October 2026,” the Space Force said. Of the 58 missions projected for Lane 2, seven — five GPS satellite launches to medium Earth orbit and two direct-to-geostationary orbit launches — are being set aside for a third provider.
Studies to be completed in 18 months
The Space Force awarded Blue Origin an integration study contract for $935,000 on Dec. 18 and announced a modification on Jan. 23 for an additional $17 million. The modification is for studies to be completed by September 2025.
The government will specifically assess the capabilities and readiness of New Glenn to meet the requirements of the seven missions that the Space Force is looking to set aside for a third provider in Lane 2. This includes evaluating ground system compatibility, payload interfaces and mission timelines. While not a guarantee that New Glenn will be certified on time to compete in NSSL Phase 3, this is a positive development for Blue Origin, demonstrating the Space Force’s interest in New Glenn’s capabilities.
The Space Force in contract documents said it needs to start these early integration studies as soon as possible due to the potential impact on payload development. The seven payloads that would be set aside for New Glenn need to be customized to launch on that vehicle, and would have to be modified if New Glenn is not ready and payloads have to be reassigned to SpaceX or ULA.
Two of the seven payloads — USSF-234 and NGP-1 — are expected to be awarded in fiscal years 2025 and 2026, so the early integration studies need to be completed sooner rather than later to “prevent a delay in the development of those space vehicles,” said the contract documents. Another mission, USSF-149 “requires an additional study but may be performed concurrently with the early integration studies.”
New Glenn, still under development, is a large reusable rocket with characteristics that align with the demands of Lane 2 missions. However, the path to becoming a certified NSSL provider is challenging, requiring at least two successful orbital missions.
Blue Origin has said New Glenn’s inaugural flight is projected to happen this year. The company last week announced that it has mated the two stages of the rocket for the first time at its assembly facility at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
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Dr. Thomas Hughes is a UK-based scientist and science communicator who makes complex topics accessible to readers. His articles explore breakthroughs in various scientific disciplines, from space exploration to cutting-edge research.
