Lancement et construction - Contrats 2021

LOS ANGELES AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --
The Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC), in partnership with the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), awarded four National Security Space missions to Space Exploration Technologies, Inc. (SpaceX) and United Launch Alliance (ULA) under the Phase 2 Launch Service Procurement contracts on Mar 09, 2021. SMC’s Launch Enterprise awarded USSF-36 and NROL-69 to SpaceX (both using the Falcon 9 launch vehicle) and USSF-112 and USSF-87 to ULA (both using the Vulcan Centaur launch vehicle).
“Today, we are making it possible for our National Security Space team to accomplish our mission of providing on-orbit space capability to the warfighter,” said Col. Robert Bongiovi, director of SMC’s Launch Enterprise. “The National Security Space Launch Phase 2 Launch Service Procurement contracts provide our customers affordability, flexibility, and extremely high reliability. This is the second order of the five-year Phase 2 ordering period. We are very pleased with the flexibility offered by our Phase 2 providers to make the best launch choices and adjustments as we proceed.”
USSF-36 has a scheduled launch date in the second quarter of FY23, NROL-69 in the fourth quarter of FY23, USSF-112 in the third quarter of FY23, and USSF-87 in the fourth quarter of FY23.
SMC issued ULA task orders for USSF-112 and USSF-87 for $225 million, which include basic launch services and mission integration. SMC issued SpaceX task orders for USSF-36 and NROL-69 for $160 million, which include basic launch services and mission integration for USSF-36 and only basic launch services for NROL-69. The NRO will fund its mission integration separately.
The Space and Missile Systems Center, located at Los Angeles Air Force Base in El Segundo, California, is the U.S. Space Force’s center of acquisition excellence for acquiring and developing military space systems. The Center’s portfolio includes the Space Launch and Range Systems, Global Positioning System, Military Satellite Communications, Defense Meteorological Satellites, Satellite Control Networks, Space Based Infrared Systems and Space Situational Awareness capabilities.

United Launch Services LLC, Centennial, Colorado, has been awarded $224,290,000 in firm-fixed-price task orders under the National Security Space Launch Phase 2 contract.  These task orders provide the basic launch services and mission integration for USSF-112 and USSF-87.  Work will be performed in Centennial, Colorado; and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, and is expected to be completed by the fourth quarter of fiscal 2023.  Fiscal 2021 space procurement funds in the full amount are being obligated at the time of award.  The Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, is the contracting activity (FA8811-21-F-0011 and FA8811-21-F-0012).
Space Exploration Technologies Corp., Hawthorne, California, has been awarded two individual firm-fixed-price task orders totaling $159,721,445 under the National Security Space Launch Phase 2 contract.  These task orders provide the basic launch services and mission integration for USSF-36 and NROL-69.  Work will be performed in Hawthorne, California; Vandenberg Air Force Base, California; and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, and is expected to be completed by the fourth quarter of fiscal 2023. Fiscal 2021 missile and space procurement funds in the full amount are being obligated at the time of award.  The Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, is the contracting activity (FA8811-21-F-0009 and FA8811-21-F-0010).

Rocket Lab Inks Deal to Launch Five Missions for BlackSky Constellation

The deployment of nine of BlackSky’s latest-generation small sats across five Electron missions represents the largest number of satellites BlackSky has committed to a single launch provider to date. 

Long Beach, California. 25 March 2021 – Rocket Lab, a global leader in launch and space systems, has today announced it will launch multiple missions to low Earth orbit for BlackSky, a leading provider of real-time geospatial intelligence and global monitoring services. 
The multi-launch agreement with launch services provider Spaceflight Inc., who will manage the integration and launch services for BlackSky, includes the launch of nine BlackSky satellites across five Electron missions this year. The deal represents the largest number of satellites BlackSky has committed to a single launch provider to date and includes the successful launch of BlackSky’s latest spacecraft on Rocket Lab’s “They Go Up So Fast” rideshare mission earlier this week.  
Eight of BlackSky’s 130 kg class satellites will be launched across four dedicated missions on Rocket Lab’s Electron launch vehicle throughout 2021 in a demonstration of rapidly-acquired  launch services. This responsive launch capability supports the aggressive scaling of BlackSky’s satellite constellation to meet the demand for real-time global monitoring and analysis services for public and private organizations. These satellites will join three existing BlackSky satellites launched by Rocket Lab’s Electron launch vehicle across 2019 and on the most recent mission this week. The agreement also includes options for an additional two dedicated missions on Electron in Q4 2021.  
Rocket Lab Founder and CEO, Peter Beck, says Electron’s dedicated launch service provides the reliability and speed to space that is critical for companies like BlackSky building out their satellite constellations and growing their businesses. 
“We’re thrilled to be providing dedicated and reliable access to orbit for Spaceflight and its customer BlackSky. Electron puts our customers in control of their launch schedule and orbital deployment parameters, giving them more certainty in crucial business growth phases,” said Mr. Beck. “By securing streamlined space access on Electron, BlackSky can focus on what matters most to their mission – providing real-time, actionable data to decision makers on the ground when they need it most.” 
Brian E. O’Toole, CEO of BlackSky, said: “Rocket Lab simplifies the path to orbit. Dedicated launch on Electron is the key enabler for us to rapidly develop our constellation on our own terms which is hugely important in unlocking more analytic and data-driven opportunities for our customers.” 
The BlackSky satellites join a busy launch manifest for Rocket Lab in 2021 which includes a scheduled dedicated mission for the U.S. Space Force, a mission to the Moon for NASA, and launches for a range of commercial customers. Rocket Lab’s Electron launch vehicle is the second most frequently launched U.S. rocket annually since 2019, having deployed more than 100 satellites to space for commercial and government customers across 17 orbital missions. Electron has become a workhorse launch vehicle for the small satellite industry and provides uniquely targeted access to orbit for constellation satellites.   
The launch agreement follows on from a March 1 announcement that Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (“Rocket Lab”) and Vector Acquisition Corporation (Nasdaq: VACQ) (“Vector”), a special purpose acquisition company backed by leading technology investor Vector Capital, have entered into a definitive merger agreement that will result in Rocket Lab becoming a publicly traded company. The transaction is estimated to be completed in Q2 2021 and, at that time, Vector will change its name to Rocket Lab USA, Inc. and the combined company is expected to trade under the Nasdaq ticker symbol RKLB.