Space Systems Command (SSC) has released the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 3 Lane 1 On-Ramp Request for Proposals (RFP).
This is the first on-ramp opportunity following the initial NSSL Phase 3 Lane 1 contract awards in June 2024 to Blue Origin, SpaceX and ULA. Proposals are due by December 13, 2024, with an award expected in the Spring of 2025.
The annual Lane 1 on-ramp opportunity encourages continuous development of a healthy and reliable domestic industrial base to provide commercial-like launch services for the NSSL program. For this on-ramp opportunity, prospective launch providers must have a credible plan for a first launch by December of 2025.
“Our NSSL Phase 3 strategy is designed to leverage the innovative commercial launch market to diversify our launch solutions with new systems able to launch more risk-tolerant space vehicles to traditionally commercial orbits,” said Col. Douglas Pentecost, SSC’s Assured Access to Space deputy program executive officer. “Emerging launch service providers are able to on-ramp each year to the NSSL Phase 3 Lane 1 contract when their launch systems are ready giving us more diversity and competition.”
“We recently hosted an Industry Day to inform launch providers about this upcoming on-ramp opportunity,” said Lt. Col. Douglas Downs, SSC’s materiel leader for Space Launch Procurement. “We were thrilled to see the continued enthusiasm from industry and look forward to increase our launch diversity and competition because we have multiple launch service procurements programmed across the next several years.”
SSC is the U.S. Space Force’s field command responsible for acquiring and delivering resilient war fighting capabilities to protect our nation’s strategic advantage in, from, and to space. SSC manages a $15.6 billion space acquisition budget for the DoD and works in partnership with joint forces, industry, government agencies, and academic and allied organizations to accelerate innovation and outpace emerging threats. Our actions today are making the world a better space for tomorrow.