Launch Services

NASA is accepting proposals through December 10, 2026, from U.S.-controlled commercial launch providers seeking to join its VADR IDIQ. The 10-year, $5 billion vehicle offers access to potential launch task orders, but applicants must meet launch-site, technical, ownership, and domestic-content requirements; vehicle inclusion does not guarantee work.

AST SpaceMobile has agreements with Firefly Aerospace totaling approximately $1.3 billion to develop its reusable Blacklift rocket and bring Miranda and Vira engine manufacturing in-house. The commercial supplier package supports AST’s stated plans for government missions, but it is not an open solicitation or a disclosed government contract award.

The U.S. Space Force awarded Rocket Lab a suborbital launch-services program covering 12 launches, with options for six more and a potential value of $266 million, plus the SB-AMTI Flatellite program valued at up to approximately $397 million. The awards are not open solicitations; suppliers can monitor execution and assess potential support needs in launch services, satellite production, and operations.

NASA has added Blue Origin’s New Glenn 9×4 launch service to its multiple-award Launch Services II contract through an on-ramp announced September 29, 2026. The vehicle is now eligible to compete for future NASA mission orders, but the addition is not itself an order or a stated award value.

Elon Musk said the government could cancel any SpaceX contracts it no longer wants, but no specific cancellation request, agency agreement, or terminated award was identified. His projections that government payments will fall below 10% of SpaceX revenue this quarter and below 5% within a year do not establish a decline in federal spending or changes to existing awards.

SpaceX is directing substantial launch capacity toward Starlink and AI-related infrastructure and has stopped offering launch services for some planned lunar cargo missions. The change increases supplier and schedule risk for NASA’s Artemis and lunar-base plans, while creating potential openings for alternative launch and cargo providers; no specific solicitation or deadline is identified.

NASA Goddard has issued an RFI seeking industry concepts to raise Hubble’s orbit, service the telescope, or conduct a controlled reentry. NASA says launch must occur by 2032 and expects a follow-on RFP, creating a potential future opportunity for aerospace and space-service firms.

A source claims Starlink’s commercial cash flow helps subsidize a 27-satellite launch cadence, while suggesting DoD contract revenue alone may not sustain it. No contract value, schedule, delivery terms, or confirmed procurement action is provided, limiting conclusions about government-funded launches.

The U.S. Space Force has issued a Request for Information (RFI) to engage private partners in developing vertical launch capabilities at Vandenberg Space Force Base. This initiative is expected to enhance U.S. launch infrastructure and invite significant opportunities for aerospace companies, reflecting a growing trend of public-private partnerships in the space domain.