A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket will take off from Route 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on Thursday, July 30, 2020 in Cape Canaveral, Fla. (AP Photo / John Raoux)
TO Newsroom
UPDATED 4:20 PM PT – Saturday, August 8, 2020
The Pentagon recently stepped up its efforts to continue US launch programs by giving millions in contracts to SpaceX and the United Launch Alliance (ULA). The contracts came with a price tag of $ 653 million and promised to deliver several launches between 2022 and 2026.
60% of the liftoffs will be led by the ULA, while the remaining 40% SpaceX will be deployed. The launches are part of several national security missions that will take place over five years from 2022.
Air Force officials say they are excited to test ULA’s partially reusable missile, as well as Falcon 9’s Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets.
The two airlines defeated government contract Northrop Grumman and Blue Origin of Jeff Bezos for the deals.
ULA and Spacex have already conducted several national security missions for the Air Force, which awarded them $ 12 billion in contracts between 2012 and 2019.
According to reports, the new launches are expected to cost the military $ 1 billion annually.
