Space Force Adds 2 Vendors to NSSL Lane 1 Pool, Expanding Eligible Providers to 7
Updated
Updated · Aviation Week · Jul 16
Space Force Adds 2 Vendors to NSSL Lane 1 Pool, Expanding Eligible Providers to 7
2 articles · Updated · Aviation Week · Jul 16
Summary
Impulse Space and Relativity Federal joined the Space Force’s Phase 3 Lane 1 launch pool on July 7, giving seven companies eligibility to compete for lower-risk national security launch missions.
Lane 1 was built to widen access for emerging providers, and Impulse became the first upper-stage-focused entrant by pairing its Helios kick stage with a yet-to-be-chosen medium-lift rocket.
Seven of the eight Lane 1 task orders awarded so far have gone to SpaceX, while Blue Origin has won one and remains sidelined after a May 28 New Glenn test explosion.
ULA’s Vulcan is still grounded after a Feb. 12 booster anomaly, leaving SpaceX as the only operational NSSL partner even as Relativity, Rocket Lab, Stoke and Impulse target first flights within a year.
The broader push reflects a launch backlog already delaying some customer capabilities, with the Space Force planning more Lane 1 awards by the end of fiscal 2026.