SpaceX, ULA, Blue Origin clinch $13.5 billion-dollar Pentagon launch contracts

Elon Musk's SpaceX, United Launch Alliance and Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin on Friday won U.S. Space Force rocket launch contracts worth a combined $13.5 billion through 2029 to send some of the Pentagon's most sensitive and complex satellites into space. The Space Force's flagship National Security Space Launch procurement program will assign roughly 54 missions through 2029 in incremental task orders, according to its Space Systems Command office.

The rest of the ULA keyword, sorted:

Boeing-Lockheed's Vulcan cleared to launch US national security satellites [03/26/2025]
Bezos' Blue Origin to layoff about 10% across its space, launch business [02/13/2025]
Starship Flight 7: SpaceX delays until the 13th [01/10/2025]
ULA expects to be certified for national security launch 'momentarily' [12/10/2024]
NASA Might Delay Upcoming Crew 9 Mission to Return Stranded Starliner Astronauts to Earth [08/06/2024]
Report signals concern for Artemis space missions [3:04] [05/13/2024]
Boeing Starliner crewed mission postponed shortly before launch [05/07/2024]
Amazon signs launch contract with SpaceX [12/03/2023]
Amazon Shareholders Think SpaceX Should Have Been Picked For Kuiper Launches [09/11/2023]
LIVE! ULA NROL-107 Launch [09/10/2023]
China successfully launches first methane-propelled rocket [07/13/2023]
Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin rocket engine explodes during testing [07/12/2023]
Pentagon testing mass surveillance balloons across the US (August 2019!) [02/16/2023]
Video: Here's the US military's secret new 'Dream Chaser' space plane [09/16/2022]
Fuel leak delays Atlas V rocket launch to early Tuesday morning: Watch it live: Liftoff is scheduled for 4:04 a.m. EST [12/06/2021]
ANGRY UPDATE!! Why is Blue Origin still getting government contracts? What about Artemis? [09/29/2021]
Nearly two months after discovering a problem with its Starliner spacecraft, Boeing is still searching for answers [09/24/2021]
Shenanigans in the U.S. Senate: Shelby trying to add $50bn of defense spending [08/09/2021]
America's largest defense contractor embraces critical race theory [05/27/2021]
Watch an Atlas V rocket launch US Space Force missile-warning satellite today [05/17/2021]
NASA announces launch plans for new Dream Chaser spaceplane [05/05/2021]
ULA launch of NRO satellite on hold after Delta 4 Heavy hot fire abort [08/29/2020]
ULA calls off launch of triple-core Delta 4-Heavy rocket, will try again Saturday [08/27/2020]
ULA to launch NROL-44 mission on Delta IV Heavy [08/26/2020]
NASA's Perseverance Rover Attached to Atlas V Rocket [07/09/2020]
Now that Spacex has launched, if I were Boeing.... [05/30/2020]
Boeing's Starliner Won't Reach Space Station, NASA Chief Says [12/20/2019]
Live coverage: Overnight countdown underway for Friday's Starliner launch [12/20/2019]
Cargo Dream Chaser solidifies ULA deal by securing six Vulcan Centaur flights [08/15/2019]
Will $1.6billion Let NASA's New Artemis Program Become Reality? [05/14/2019]
US to Launch Secret Spy Satellite Saturday [01/17/2019]
How Sierra Nevada's "Dream Chaser" Could Become a Nightmare for Northrop Grumman [01/07/2019]
XCOR 'Space Tourists' Push for Ticket Refunds: Report [01/06/2019]
Dream Chaser cleared to begin full-scale production [12/20/2018]
United Launch Associates Just Scrubbed Launch - AGAIN!! [12/19/2018]
Twice-delayed Delta IV Heavy launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base now planned for Tuesday [12/15/2018]
ULA Calls Off 2nd Attempt to Launch Spy Satellite from Vandenberg Air Force 7 Seconds Before Liftoff [12/09/2018]
Stay up late to watch ULA launch a secret satellite with its most powerful rocket [12/08/2018]
NASA signs off on SpaceX's "load-and-go" procedure for crew launches [08/09/2018]
...SpaceX is using a powerful rocket technology. NASA advisers say it could put lives at risk. [05/06/2018]
Why More Taxpayer Funding to Elon Musk's Big F-ing Rocket Would Be a Big F-ing Mistake [04/21/2018]
Atlas V AFSPC-11 Launch re-broadcast [04/15/2018]
Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Vector among rocket builders looking to Brazil for new launch site [02/23/2018]
Jeff Bezos just donated $33 million in college scholarships for 'dreamers' [01/12/2018]
Sierra Nevada Clears Dream Chaser Space Plane Test Milestone [01/06/2018]
Military Launch Quality Issues Flagged by DoD Watchdog [12/30/2017]
GOP's Shelby played key role in Alabama Democrat's victory [12/13/2017]
Alabama senator: 'Relieved' Moore lost Senate race [12/13/2017]
Alabama GOP senator [Shelby]: I voted for a write-in instead of Moore [11/27/2017]
Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Elon Musk's SpaceX could face new competition for military launches [11/17/2017]
NASA's Next-Generation Spaceplane Passes Free Flight Test [11/14/2017]
US Launching Spy Satellite Early Friday: Watch It Live [10/05/2017]
Lockheed Martin Unveils Details of their Proposed Base Camp for Mars [10/02/2017]
Lockheed Unveils Plans for Orbiting Mars Base Camp and Lander Within 10 Years [09/29/2017]
Dream Chaser Mini-Shuttle to Fly ISS Resupply Missions on ULA Atlas V [07/26/2017]
ULA says it was not allowed to compete with SpaceX for Air Force launch [06/09/2017]
U.S. Air Force, Lockheed Martin Prepare for Jan. 19 Launch of Next SBIRS Missile Warning Satellite [01/17/2017]
NASA's new space plane is getting ready to take flight [07/29/2016]
United Launch Alliance Successfully Launches NROL-37 Payload for the National Reconnaissance Office [06/11/2016]
Surveillance satellite launching Thursday atop Delta 4-Heavy rocket [06/08/2016]
Sparks-based Sierra Nevada Corp. looks to hire up to 1,000 employees [05/15/2016]
Astronomy Picture of the Day -- The International Space Station over Earth [04/18/2016]
3 Private Spaceflight Companies Will Ferry Cargo to Space Station [01/14/2016]
ULA sits out Air Force launch competition [11/17/2015]
Boeing Rejects Aerojet Rocketdyne Bid for ULA... Lockheed Martin Noncommittal [09/19/2015]
Aerojet-Rocketdyne Seeks to Buy United Launch Alliance for $2 Billion [09/10/2015]
Secret space plane, solar sail and CubeSats launching Wednesday [05/19/2015]
SpaceX Invents an X-Wing ... Sort Of: Introducing Falcon 9R's Newest Trick [12/14/2014]
Airframe Structure for First Commercial Dream Chaser Spacecraft Unveiled [08/10/2014]
Elon Musk says he lost a multi-billion-dollar contract when SpaceX didn't hire a public official [05/24/2014]
Spacex will be trying to get the Dragon crew rated in 2014 [05/01/2014]
Sierra Nevada Dreamchaser Will Launch on First Orbital Flight Test in November 2016 [01/23/2014]
Watch SpaceX rocket lift off, hover, return to launch pad in key test [08/15/2013]
SNC's Flight Vehicle Rolls through Ground Tests [Shuttle Replacement] [08/14/2013]
Sierra Nevada Studying X-34 As Rocket Testbed [12/01/2010]
Appalachian professor's research finds no evidence of cannibalism at Donner Party campsite [04/15/2010]
NASA could be rocketing to United Launch Alliance's sweet spot [02/13/2010]
Giant Delta 4 rocket fires away from Cape Canaveral [11/10/2007]
NRO Spacecraft In Wrong Orbit [06/16/2007]
"3 ... 2 ... 1 ... Rip-Off!" Taxpayer Group Blasts Boeing/Lockheed Launch Vehicle Plan [12/19/2005]
SpaceX Sues Boeing, Lockheed Over Launch [10/22/2005]
Commission clears United Launch Alliance, a joint venture between Lockheed Martin and Boeing [08/18/2005]
Boeing, Lockheed Join to Build Rockets [05/02/2005]

ULA Sale Status as of February 2025 | New Space Economy
[snip] ...In August 2024, Reuters reported that Boeing and Lockheed Martin were in talks to sell ULA to Sierra Space, though no official confirmation of a completed deal has surfaced since then. The discussions were framed as a strategic move for Boeing under its new CEO, Kelly Ortberg, and a chance for ULA to expand beyond its traditional rocket-launch focus, potentially into areas like lunar habitats or maneuverable spacecraft—ideas previously constrained by its parent companies.

The sale process has been in motion for some time, with earlier speculation in 2023 and 2024 identifying other potential buyers, including Blue Origin, Textron, and Cerberus Capital Management. However, Sierra Space appears to have taken the lead, likely due to its growing ambitions in the commercial space sector and its interest in leveraging ULA's established launch capabilities. Any deal would still require approval from regulatory bodies like the Federal Trade Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice to ensure it doesn't harm competition in the space industry, as well as potential review by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States if foreign investors are involved. [/snip]

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