Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 News
    
        Photos

    Week in Photos

    Air Force TV

    Commentaries

    Features

    Art

    About Us
    
        Air Force Senior Leaders
    
        SECAF

    CSAF

    CMSAF

    Biographies

    Fact Sheets

    SECAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library
    
        CSAF Leadership Library 2022

    CSAF Leadership Library 2021

    CSAF Reading List Pre-2020 Archive
    
        2018 CSAF Reading List

    2017 CSAF Reading List

    2016 CSAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library 2023

    CMSAF Leadership Library

    50 Years of the CMSAF

    Adjunct Professors

    Air Force Strategic Documents

    Arctic Strategy

    Empowered Airmen

    State Licensure Portability

    Careers

    AF Federal Advisory Committees

    AF 75th Anniversary

    Policy Updates

    AF Content Management

    Contact Us

    AF Sites
    
        Site RegistrationU.S. Air Force LogoAir Force

        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      Air Force awards $739M launch service contractsPublished Feb. 22, 2019
                    
                    
                    Space and Missile System Center Public Affairs
            **LOS ANGELES AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AFNS) --**The U.S. Air Force’s Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC), in partnership with the National Reconnaissance Office, awarded two Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) launch service contracts Feb. 19.
Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX) has been awarded a $297 million firm-fixed-price contract for launch services to deliver AFSPC-44, NROL-85 and NROL-87 to the intended orbit. United Launch Alliance has been awarded a $441.76 million firm-fixed-price contract, for launch services to deliver SBIRS GEO-5, SBIRS GEO-6, and SILENTBARKER to the intended orbit.
Both contracts provide the U.S. government with a total launch solution for these missions, which includes launch vehicle production, mission integration, launch operations and spaceflight certification.
 “The competitive award of these EELV launch service contracts directly supports SMC’s mission of delivering resilient and affordable space capabilities to our nation while maintaining assured access to space,” said Lt. Gen. John Thompson, SMC commander, and program executive officer for space. “Phase 1A continues to enable the space enterprise to respond to the rapidly evolving operating environment.”
This is the sixth competition under the current Phase 1A procurement strategy. These launch-service contract awards strike a balance between meeting operational needs and lowering launch costs through reintroducing competition for national security space missions.
-- NROL-85 will launch in fiscal year 2021 from the Eastern Range.
-- NROL-87 will launch in FY2021 from the Western Range
-- SILENTBARKER will launch in FY2022 from the Eastern Range
-- SBIRS GEO-5 will launch in FY2021 from the Eastern Range
-- SBIRS GEO-6 is an option on the ULA contract with a possible launch in FY2022 from the Eastern Range
-- AFSPC-44 will launch in FY2021 from the Eastern Range
The SMC, located at Los Angeles Air Force Base in El Segundo, California, is Air Force Space Command's center of excellence for acquiring and developing military space systems. Its portfolio includes GPS, military satellite communications, defense meteorological satellites, space launch and range systems, satellite control networks, space-based infrared systems, and space situational awareness capabilities.Air Force 



innovation 



Air Force Space Command 



SMC 



AF 



Los Angeles AFB 



Service 



National Reconnaissance Office 



contracts 



NRO 



Air Force Base 



EELV 



Space and Missilis System Center 



Evolved Expendeble Launch Vehicle 



Phase 1A 



AFSPC Featured News
        Senior Leader Priorities
                DAF leaders talk budget, reoptimizing the force
                    
                    DAF leaders speak at National Character and Leadership Symposium
                    
                    DAF members recognized during BEYA STEM awards
                    
                    DAF senior enlisted advisors discuss Airmen, Guardians in the fight
                    
                    SecAF Kendall AFA Warfare Symposium Q&A: Reoptimizing for Great Power CompetitionInnovation
                AFWERX director discusses role of tech startups, quick innovation in Great Power Competition
                    
                    DAF delivers lethality at the speed of data during Project Convergence Capstone 4
                    
                    DAF welcomes industry partners to HQ development program
                    
                    DAF announces Spark Tank 2024 finalists
                    
                    Chief Digital, Artificial Intelligence Office to host hackathon in HawaiiMAJCOM News
                Safety enterprise announces new mission, vision, goals in 2024 strategic plan
                    
                    Air Combat Command welcomes new commander
                    
                    USAFE-AFAFRICA commander discusses Integrated Air, Missile Defense during Munich Security Conference
                    
                    Flosi to AFMC family: Embrace change, make every day count
                    
                    AMC rises to increasing global tension
 Quick Links
AccessibilityContact UsEqual OpportunityFOIA | Privacy | Section 508Information QualityInspector GeneralJAG Court-Martial DocketLink DisclaimerNo FEAR ActOpen GovernmentOSI Tip LinePlain LanguageQuestionsResilienceRSSSite MapVeterans Crisis LineCareers
Join the Air ForceAir Force BenefitsAir Force CareersAir Force ReserveAir National GuardCivilian ServiceConnect
            Get Social with Us
            
            Official United States Air Force Website
    Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil