Printed from https://fiscalreceipts.com/program/NSSL00/ — data as of July 28, 2026. Every figure is citation-backed; see the page online for per-number provenance.
National Security Space Launch
Budget Figures
FY2026 award data is a partial year — USASpending awards are reported on a rolling basis and the fiscal year does not close until September 30. why partial FY2026 data? →
- FY24
- $2.10B
- FY26
- $1.47B
● actuals (line) · ○ enacted · ◇ request — gaps are editions the program is absent from, never interpolated.
| Series | FY22 | FY23 | FY24 | FY25 | FY26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Actuals | $1.29B | $1.02B | $2.10B | ||
| Enacted | – | $1.02B | $2.14B | $1.77B | |
| Request | – | – | $2.14B | $1.85B | $1.47B |
blank = series not published for this year; – = absent from that edition.
Asked vs spent: the PB2024 book requested $2.14B for FY2024; the PB2026 book reports $2.10B actually spent — $45.7M below the request.
Program Lineage
No predecessor/successor lineage was recorded for this program element — no FY-to-FY transfer into or out of this line was stated in the ingested J-books, and none was inferred from the program structure.
Description
Description — National Security Space Launch
The National Security Space Launch (NSSL) program is a Major Defense Acquisition Program (MDAP) Acquisition Category (ACAT) 1C program that acquires launch services to provide critical space support to satisfy Department of Defense (DoD) warfighter, national security, and other United States Government (USG) space lift missions. The NSSL program will leverage USG inter-agency and commercial cooperation by utilizing the total launch vehicle performance and maximizing on-orbit opportunities that will expedite delivery of critical capabilities. The NSSL program provides satellite delivery to specific orbits through certified Launch Vehicle (LV) providers. NSSL procures launch services and is not a weapon system. The program provides launch capacity for the Government National Launch Forecast (NLF) requirements, but does not take ownership of any specific launch hardware. This program does not require and does not include advance procurement or initial spares. Flyaway Unit Cost is not applicable and Weapon System Unit Cost are not representative due to the mix of vehicles in the program. The requirements for NSSL launch services are derived from multiple spacecraft requirements. The Space Force procurement satisfies National Security Space (NSS) unique capabilities for NSS requirements that are typically not addressed by the commercial market. "To Complete" projections include only known requirements at this time. Beginning in FY 2025, the Space Force will procure launch services to deliver National Security Space (NSS) missions via the Phase 3 contracts. NSSL Phase 3 will utilize a dual-lane approach to meet warfighter launch requirements, add a third launch provider, provide maximum competitive opportunities to industry, expand mission assurance options, and to allow the Government to take advantage of emerging and innovative launch capabilities. The dual-lane procurement approach consists of Lane 1, where launch services for risk tolerant missions will be procured from diverse launch service providers with annual on-ramping; and Lane 2 where launch services for specified missions will be procured from 3 fully certified systems for the nation's most critical payloads. The Space Force, National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) have a coordinated strategy for certification of New Entrants to launch payloads in support of NSS and other USG requirements. The Space Force continues to actively work with potential New Entrants to reliably meet NSS requirements. The Government may award early integration contracts to ensure each potential offeror's launch system is compatible with the intended payload. The Space Force's intent is to compete as much as possible all launch service procurements where more than one certified provider can service the required orbit. This requirement (or modification) supports performance of a full financial audit as required by title 10 U.S.C. Chapter 9A, Sec 240-D
Justification
Justification — National Security Space Launch
FY 2026 NSSL procurement funding will acquire launch services to provide critical space support required to satisfy Department of Defense (DoD) warfighter, national security, and other US Government space lift missions while leveraging commercial innovation. Launch services include, but are not limited to, launch vehicle manufacturing; launch operations (tasks such as systems and factory engineering, program management, launch and range activities, and infrastructure); mission success incentives; recurring costs for Orbital Debris Mitigation Standard Practice; secondary payload adapters (i.e. multi-mission manifest adapters), rideshare services, and integration onto NSS or other USG agency procured launch services; launch propellants; independent mission assurance; evaluation and certification of potential New Entrants; early integration activities; studies and analysis; program office support and any other related activities to support mission requirements to rapidly respond to implement system resiliency and situational awareness necessary to operate in the contested space domain. Activities may include, but are not limited to, program office support, studies, technical analysis, and activities that may leverage commercial, U.S. Government partnership, and international opportunities to respond to existing and emerging adversarial threats with speed and agility, etc. Beginning in FY 2025, the Space Force will procure launch services via the Phase 3 contracts. NSSL Phase 3 will utilize a dual-lane procurement approach that consists of Lane 1 and Lane 2. The Lane 1 launch task orders will be fully burdened and will not include annual Launch Service Support (LSS). Lane 1 does include base award to New Entrants to understand their launch system and approach to tiered system. Lane 1 is targeted to serve more risk-tolerant space vehicles launching to commercially addressable orbits and will incorporate tiered mission assurance as required by each mission's risk tolerance posture. Lane 2 will include Launch Service Support (LSS), consisting of non-discrete NSS requirement-driven costs such as fleet surveillance, support to Government mission assurance, NSS-unique infrastructure, and complex security and integration requirements. Lane 2 procurements will fund LSS annually to address NSS-unique items that are not provided by the commercial launch service sector. The Space Force is responsible for funding its own missions. Space Development Agency (SDA) launch services are procured under a separate Program Element. Generally, non-Space Force launch services are funded within their respective entities (e.g. NRO, Navy). The Space Vehicle (SV) Program offices and other partners are responsible for funding mission unique requirements including hardware, integration and testing. Funding for mission unique requirements that span across NSSL and the SV Program Office will be shared between both organizations. The FY 2026 request for NSSL includes 1,466,963 thousand discretionary and 6,000 thousand mandatory (reconciliation) for a total of 1,472,963 thousand. The mandatory funds the launch early integration studies for Missile Defense Space Vehicles. Further information for this reconciliation request is provided in Section 20003 (Missile Defense) of the Reconciliation Exhibit. Funding for this exhibit is contained in PE 1203953SF.
Budget Line Items(workbook-cited)
Exhibit P-1
| Account | Org | Type | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Procurement, Space Force | F | FY24 Actuals | $2.10B |
| Procurement, Space Force | F | FY25 Enacted | $1.77B |
| Procurement, Space Force | F | FY26 Disc. Request | $1.47B |
| Procurement, Space Force | F | FY26 Reconciliation | $6.00M |
| Procurement, Space Force | F | FY26 Total | $1.47B |
Budget Details(R-2/P-40 facts)
| Project | All Prior Years | FY24 Actuals | FY25 Total | FY26 Base | FY26 Request |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Program Element | $3.24B | $2.10B | $1.77B | $1.47B | $1.47B |
No follow-the-dollar view — this program's awards haven't been crosswalked at high confidence (flows cover 17 of 1741 programs). why coverage is partial? →
Awards
No awards are linked to this program element at high confidence — the budget→award crosswalk only asserts links it can defend, and this line has none yet.
Lobbying Mentions
No Senate LDA lobbying filing in the tracked data mentions this program element by code or alias.
Program dossier
Every sentence below carries its citation — warehouse figures open the citation panel, news claims link the cached source.
Research dossiers exist for 50 of 1741 programs — the 50 largest fully J-book-detailed programs by FY2026 request. why no dossier here? →
What it is
- National Security Space Launch (budget line NSSL00) is a U.S. Space Force procurement line funded in the Procurement, Space Force appropriation.
- The National Security Space Launch (NSSL) program is a Major Defense Acquisition Program and Acquisition Category 1C program that acquires launch services to provide critical space support for Department of Defense warfighter, national security, and other U.S. Government space-lift missions.
- NSSL procures launch services rather than a weapon system — it provides satellite delivery to specific orbits through certified launch-vehicle providers and does not take ownership of any specific launch hardware, so it requires no advance procurement or initial spares.
- Beginning in FY 2025 the Space Force procures launch services via the Phase 3 contracts, which use a dual-lane approach — adding a third launch provider, expanding competition and mission-assurance options, and letting the Government take advantage of emerging and innovative launch capabilities.
- Funded services include launch-vehicle manufacturing; launch operations; mission-success incentives; orbital-debris-mitigation practices; rideshare and secondary-payload adapters; independent mission assurance; and evaluation and certification of potential New Entrants.
Why it matters
- The program's total funding is $1,472,963 thousand (about $1.47 billion) requested for FY 2026.
- In FY 2024 the program recorded actual spending of $2,097,139 thousand (about $2.10 billion), so the FY 2026 request is below its recent execution level.
- The FY 2026 request is almost entirely discretionary: a $1,466,963 thousand (about $1.47 billion) discretionary request plus a small reconciliation (mandatory) request of $6,000 thousand (about $6 million).
- That $6,000 thousand mandatory portion is the reconciliation piece added to the discretionary base to reach the FY 2026 total.
- The Phase 3 procurement uses a dual-lane structure in which Lane 1 task orders are fully burdened, exclude annual Launch Service Support, and are targeted at more risk-tolerant spacecraft launching to commercially addressable orbits with tiered mission assurance.
Key players
- The program is run by the U.S. Space Force, with funding drawn from the Procurement, Space Force appropriation.
- The program leverages U.S. Government inter-agency and commercial cooperation, drawing its requirements from the Government National Launch Forecast to satisfy National Security Space capabilities that are typically not addressed by the commercial market.