Printed from https://fiscalreceipts.com/program/NSSL00/ — built September 26, 2026. Every figure is citation-backed; see the page online for per-number provenance.
National Security Space Launch
Watch this program
Budget figures
$1.47B discretionary + $6.00M one-time reconciliation. Discretionary change vs FY2025 enacted: -17.1%.
Two official figures, one label— reconciled below
Fiscal Receipts uses P-1/R-1 workbook total obligation authority (TOA) as the headline figure sitewide. The workbook TOA includes budget rows that the R-2/P-40 J-book program line excludes — advance procurement in an ordinary year, and in FY2026 the one-time reconciliation appropriation as well. Each row below names the one it is. How the two bases relate →
FY26 Request · $1.47B TOA − $1.47B J-book line = 6.00M (1,473.0 − 1,467.0 = 6.0) — $6.00M of one-time FY2026 reconciliation money accounts for this gap — not advance procurement
Figures in the sentence are rounded for reading; the parenthesised arithmetic is the same subtraction in USD millions, at the precision where it closes.
FY2026 award data is a partial year — USAspending reports awards on a rolling basis, and this corpus runs through 2026-09-04. why partial FY2026 data? →
Budget trajectory
| Fiscal year | Amount |
|---|---|
| FY24 | $2.10B |
| FY25 | $1.77B |
| FY26 | $1.47B |
All series figures: P-1 TOA · PB2026
Decade view
P-1/R-1 workbook TOA basis, shown compact in $B/$M (the workbook records USD thousands); each figure cites its own President's Budget edition
The vertical scale does not start at zero: the baseline sits just below this program’s smallest year, so a low point on this line is not a small amount. Read the shape for direction and the grid below for the figures.
● 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 reported $2.10B as actual total obligation authority — $45.7M below the request. 2,097.1 − 2,142.8 = -45.7 USD millions — the compact figures above are rounded for reading.
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)
P-1/R-1 workbook Total Obligation Authority basis (USD thousands) · PB2026.
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)
J-book detail basis (R-2/P-40, USD millions) · PB2026 — a different accounting basis from the P-1/R-1 workbook TOA above; where the two disagree, the reconciliation strip under Budget figures shows both.
Wider than this screen — swipe the table sideways for the remaining fiscal-year columns.
| Project | All Prior Years | FY24 Actuals | FY25 Total | FY26 Base | FY26 Request |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Program Element | $3.24B | $2.10B | $1.77B | $1.47B | $1.47B |
Follow the dollar
Appropriation → program element → top high-confidence awards → recipient families → congressional districts.
Follow-the-dollar covers 312 of 1,938 programs — only high-confidence budget→award links are shown. why coverage is partial? →
The diagram illustrates the cited table below — amounts shown in the diagram are transaction sums per award (no citation chips); the per-district obligations in the table cite USAspending queries.
Related awards
Award linkage is shown for 32 of 200 profiled companies — high- and medium-confidence USAspending matches, each row labeled; medium is the weaker evidence. why partial award coverage? →
Rows marked medium rest on evidence weaker than a program-level match, and of more than one kind. An account-based row, where the award drew from the same appropriation account as this program, is an association, not evidence that this program paid for the contract. Where the evidence is instead an FPDS acquisition-program tag or a subaward description, the program is established but which of its budget lines paid is not. An announcement link a recorded review did not leave standing is medium too. Only high rows rest on the contract naming this program with a recorded review upholding it and no recorded rejection or refutation applying.
| Recipient | PIID | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| BLUE ORIGIN, LLC | FA881124DB002 | high |
| SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP. | FA881118C0003 | high |
| SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP. | FA881124DB003 | high |
| SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP. | FA881125DB002 | high |
| UNITED LAUNCH SERVICES, LLC | FA881119C0002 | high |
| UNITED LAUNCH SERVICES, LLC | FA881124DB001 | high |
| MANTECH SRS TECHNOLOGIES, INC. | FA881110C0002 | medium |
Contractor concentration
High-confidence award links only, pooled across ingested years. The index uses positive obligations; program obligations are net of deobligations. The figures over every published link, including medium-confidence ones, are in the downloadable warehouse, not on this page — why.
Lobbying mentions
No Senate LDA lobbying filing in the tracked data mentions this program element by code or alias.
Oversight
GAO oversight of this program
GAO assessed National Security Space Launch (NSSL) in its June 2025 Weapon Systems Annual Assessment, as a Space Force MDAP Increment program.
“The Space Force's NSSL program provides space lift support for national security and other government missions. NSSL procures launch services from United Launch Alliance (ULA), Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX), and Blue Origin. These procurements are intended to ensure that the U.S. has the capabilities necessary to insert national security payloads into space. We focused our review on NSSL's investment in new launch systems from U.S. providers.”
GAO-25-107569, p. 167 — the assessment page in GAO’s 2025 report
Earlier editions of the same assessment: June 2024 · June 2023
GAO assessed National Security Space Launch (NSSL) in its June 2024 Weapon Systems Annual Assessment, as a Space Force MDAP Increment program.
“The Space Force's NSSL program provides space lift support for national security and other government missions. NSSL procures launch services from United Launch Alliance (ULA) and Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX). These procurements are intended to ensure the U.S. has the capabilities necessary to insert national security payloads into space. We focused our review on NSSL's investment in new launch systems from U.S. providers.”
GAO-24-106831, p. 181 — the assessment page in GAO’s 2024 report
GAO assessed National Security Space Launch (NSSL) in its June 2023 Weapon Systems Annual Assessment, as a Space Force MDAP Increment program.
“The Space Force's NSSL provides space lift support for national security and other government missions. Currently, NSSL procures launch services from United Launch Alliance (ULA) and Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX). These procurements are intended to support U.S. policy, as stated in law, to undertake actions appropriate to ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, the U.S. has the capabilities necessary to launch and insert national security payloads into space when needed. We focused our review on NSSL's investment in new launch systems from U.S. providers.”
GAO-23-106059, p. 185 — the assessment page in GAO’s 2023 report
GAO assessed the program, not this budget line. National Security Space Launch is one of the lines that funds it, and GAO’s work above says nothing about this line’s own figures. Which line each GAO item attaches to is a hand-ratified crosswalk — how it was checked.
Department-level designation (not specific to this program)
GAO lists 5 high-risk areas for DOD as a whole. That designation covers the department, not National Security Space Launch. GAO's program-level work on this line is above. See the DOD oversight record.
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 1,938 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.
Primary sources
Open any budget figure for its exact receipt. Verified line items lead with the highlighted government PDF; original spreadsheets download with their budget edition and exhibit in the filename.
Budget totals · TOA sources
FY2026 Department of Defense Budget: Procurement Programs (P-1) · comptroller.war.gov
Exhibit P-1 · O1020
Complete workbook · unchanged saved copy. Saves as PB2026_DoD_P-1_Procurement.xlsx.
FY2024 Department of Defense Budget: Procurement Programs (P-1) · comptroller.war.gov
Exhibit P-1 · O985
Complete workbook · unchanged saved copy. Saves as PB2024_DoD_P-1_Procurement.xlsx.
FY2025 Department of Defense Budget: Procurement Programs (P-1) · comptroller.war.gov
Exhibit P-1 · O1038
Complete workbook · unchanged saved copy. Saves as PB2025_DoD_P-1_Procurement.xlsx.
Detailed budget justification
The related TOA spreadsheets above use a different accounting basis from R-2/P-40 detail. Their amounts are not assumed to match these detailed sources.
FY2026 Space Force Procurement · www.saffm.hq.af.mil
PDF page 117