U.S. Space Force Expands National Security Launch Providers with Two Startup Contracts

The U.S. Space Force has added two startup companies—California-based Impulse Space and Relativity Federal—to its National Security Space Launch Phase 3 Lane 1 contract, reflecting rising demand for orbital capabilities and a strategic shift toward diversifying launch providers. The Lane 1 contract targets lower-risk, near-term missions, and both firms will receive a $5 million firm-fixed-price task order under an indefinite-delivery-indefinite-quantity agreement to evaluate their capabilities and develop tailored mission assurance strategies, according to a Space Systems Command announcement.

These companies will compete alongside established providers like Blue Origin, SpaceX, United Launch Alliance, Rocket Lab, and Stoke Space for future national security launch contracts. “These new awardees, alongside existing providers, are building the next generation of launch vehicles—a critical step as our launch cadence accelerates and our allies depend on our reliable access to space,” said Col. Eric Zarybnisky, the Space Force’s acting space access portfolio acquisition executive.

The expansion aligns with projected operational demands, including over 100 national security launches annually within the next five years, with estimates suggesting up to 3,000 missions by 2036. The Lane 1 contract framework prioritizes rapid procurement and faster timelines from award to deployment. “Increasing our provider base to seven contractors in the contract’s third year exemplifies the dual-lane strategy’s success in meeting evolving customer needs,” Zarybnisky added.

Relativity Federal’s Terran R reusable rocket is slated for a Cape Canaveral launch later this year, while Impulse Space’s Helios vehicle aims to deploy payloads from low Earth orbit to high-energy trajectories like geosynchronous orbits in under 24 hours, with its maiden flight planned for 2027. “Pairing Helios with a standard medium-lift vehicle offers a cost-effective, operationally flexible alternative for high-energy missions,” noted Impulse Space President and COO Eric Romo, emphasizing the company’s contribution to assured space access.

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