SpaceX Secures $739 Million Contract for U.S. Military Launches

Elon Musk’s company, SpaceX, has been awarded a substantial contract valued at $739 million from the U.S. Space Force. This agreement encompasses several military launches aimed at enhancing the United States’ missile warning and tracking capabilities. The task orders issued by the U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command (SSC) fall under the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 3 Lane 1 initiative.

These contracts will support operations for the Space Development Agency (SDA) and the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). Specifically, SpaceX is set to conduct the SDA-2 missions, with launches anticipated to commence in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2026. Additionally, the SDA-3 missions are scheduled to begin in the third quarter of fiscal year 2027, while the NTO-5 launches are expected in the first and second quarters of fiscal year 2027 and 2028, respectively.

According to a press release from the SSC, the SDA-2 task order involves two launches carrying a total of 18 Tranche 2 Tracking Layer space vehicles developed by L3Harris. Furthermore, there will be a separate launch transporting eight Fire-control On Orbit-support-to-the-war Fighter (F2) space vehicles, engineered by Millennium Space Systems. The SDA-3 task order outlines two launches intended to deliver another 18 Tranche 2 Tracking Layer vehicles, this time from Lockheed Martin.

Colonel Matt Flahive, the system program director for Launch Acquisition at the U.S. Space Force, emphasized the significance of these task orders, stating, “Our mission to deliver national defense capabilities to the joint force is achieved with each task order we award.”

Growing Momentum in Defense Contracts

This latest contract win adds to SpaceX’s momentum within the defense sector. In October 2025, the company secured five out of seven critical military missions awarded by the U.S. Space Force, surpassing competitors such as Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin and United Launch Alliance (ULA).

Investor Ross Gerber, co-founder of Gerber Kawasaki, highlighted the importance of federal contracts in contributing to SpaceX’s overall success. He noted that government contracts have played a crucial role in the achievements of both SpaceX and Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA), further solidifying the relationship between the aerospace sector and military needs.

In addition to the recent Space Force contract, SpaceX also secured a 2024 Pentagon contract aimed at expanding Ukraine’s access to its secure Starshield satellite network. This contract includes provisions for an additional 2,500 Starlink terminals, further demonstrating SpaceX’s expanding role in international defense initiatives.

As SpaceX continues to grow its portfolio of defense contracts, it reinforces its position as a key player in the military aerospace sector, leveraging innovative technology to meet national security demands.