Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos Might be Entrusted With America’s National Security Space Missions
The Department of Defense has selected Elon Musk’s SpaceX, Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin, and the joint venture of Boeing and Lockheed Martin’s United Launch Alliance (ULA) to compete for national security space mission contracts over the next five years.
These companies will vie for contracts from the Pentagon as part of the third phase of its National Security Space Launch program. Space Force, the military’s branch for space established in 2019, announced this decision, noting that more rocket manufacturers might be included in the future. Brig. Gen. Kristin Panzenhagen of Space Force said, “As we anticipated, the pool of awardees is small this year because many companies are still maturing their launch capabilities.”
Flexible Strategy for Future Inclusions
The strategy includes annual on-ramp opportunities, anticipating increased competition and diversity as new providers and systems complete development. SpaceX and ULA have previously secured significant contracts, with SpaceX securing 22 space missions worth $2.5 billion since 2020, and ULA winning contracts for 26 missions worth $3.1 billion. However, only one mission has launched so far: SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket launched two satellites for military communications in January 2023.
SpaceX’s Mixed Fortunes
SpaceX has been in the spotlight recently, achieving its first successful launch of the Starship spacecraft — a fully reusable megarocket designed for missions to the Moon and Mars — after three previous failures. However, the company has also faced controversy, being sued by a group of engineers for alleged wrongful termination after they raised concerns over sexual harassment and discrimination.
Outsourcing Security to Big Tech
The Pentagon’s decision to involve Musk’s and Bezos’ companies in national security space missions reflects a broader trend of outsourcing security to major tech firms. Between 2019 and 2022, the Department of Defense and intelligence agencies awarded contracts to major tech firms worth up to a combined $53 billion. In 2021, the National Security Agency awarded a five-year, $10 billion contract to Bezos’ Amazon to move its intelligence and surveillance data onto Amazon’s cloud.
This trend signifies the increasing reliance on private sector innovation and capabilities to meet national security needs, highlighting the pivotal role that companies like SpaceX, Blue Origin, and ULA are set to play in the future of space and defense operations.
