Pentagon Chooses Blue Origin, SpaceX, and ULA for $5.6 Billion Space Missions

The U.S. Department of Defense has selected Blue Origin, SpaceX, and United Launch Alliance (ULA) to compete for national security space missions in a program worth $5.6 billion. This selection marks the next phase of the Pentagon's rocket launch program, requiring rockets to be mission-ready by December.

The U.S. Department of Defense on Thursday picked Blue Origin, SpaceX and the Boeing-Lockheed joint venture United Launch Alliance (ULA) to compete for national security space missions, making initial selections under an award program valued at $5.6 billion. The Pentagon did not say which of the companies' rockets it selected, but noted seven companies bid for entry into the program, which seeks rockets that must be ready to fly their first missions to space by December.

SpaceX and ULA since 2020 have been the Pentagon's primary rocket launch providers under a different procurement program. Thursday's announcement is part of the next phase of that program, Phase 3.