page_title: National Security Space Launch
section_title: Falcon 9-certified
hierarchical_section_title: National Security Space Launch / Launch vehicles / Active / Falcon 9-certified
caption_attribution_description: English: SpaceX’s Falcon 9 Full Thrust rocket lifts off from Vandenberg Air Force Base SLC-4E with the first ten Iridium NEXT communication satellites. Suomi: SpaceX:n Falcon 9 Full Thrust -raketti nousee Vandenberg Air Force Basen laukaisukompleksi 4E:ltä ensimmäisten kymmenen Iridium NEXT -tietoliikennesatelliitin kanssa. Українська: Ракета-носій компанії SpaceX Falcon 9 Full Thrust стартує із стартового майданчику Vandenberg Air Force Basen laukaisukompleksi 4E:ltä з першими десятьма супутниками Iridium NEXT.
context_page_description: National Security Space Launch — formerly Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle from 1994 to 2019 — is a program of the United States Space Force intended to assure access to space for United States Department of Defense and other United States government payloads.
  Started in 1994 as the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle launch system program, the initial program goal was to make government space launches more affordable and reliable, leading to the development of the Boeing Delta IV and Lockheed Martin Atlas V EELV families. As of 2019, these launch vehicles were the primary methods for launching U.S. military satellites, along with the Falcon 9 developed by SpaceX under NASA's CRS program.
  On 1 March 2019, the program name was changed from EELV to National Security Space Launch to better reflect the changing nature of launch contracting, including the retirement of the Space Shuttle program and the inclusion of reusable vehicles.
  The NSSL program launches the nation's most valuable military satellites; contracts to launch lower value payloads, such as those of the Space Test Program, are awarded using different methodologies.
context_section_description: The main features of the Falcon 9 in its current Block 5 version include two stages, both powered by LOX and RP-1, with nine Merlin 1D engines on the first stage and one Merlin 1D Vacuum engine on the second stage.
  GPS-IIIA USA-289 was the first NSSL-type B5 Falcon 9 launch. The launch occurred on December 23, 2018.
caption: Falcon 9 liftoff from SLC-4E
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